Tad Williams offers up a modern view of the struggle between heaven and hell and in his version of the conflict things aren't quite as black and white as you would imagine. Angel Doloriel (Bobby Dollar) is unlike any angel you've ever read about before and his heavenly assignment is to be an advocate for the recently departed. He is responsible for pleading the case on behalf of the deceased's soul to ensure their final judgment results in a trip to heaven or no worse than minimal time in purgatory.



Bobby, like many other angels, spends a lot of time down on earth and he struggles with many of the same temptations that get the better of his clients. These are angels that drink, smoke, and curse like sailors so if such a portrayal is likely to offend you then best to take a pass on this one. After one case goes wrong, Bobby finds himself at the center of a giant heaven/hell conspiracy where he is likely to be the fall guy. He must sleuth out what is going on and in the process he finds himself up against extremely powerful beings on both sides of the eternal conflict.



Bobby has an engaging personality and you can't help but be amused by his views on life (and the after-life.) From foul language to sexual exploits and violence, he certainly crosses the line of "acceptable behavior" for an angel and you often wonder which side of the conflict is going to be his downfall in the end. As you would expect, he has a moral compass that puts him on the good side of the line and you find yourself rooting for him to be successful despite his sometimes questionable decisions.



Although the story ventures into weird territory from time to time it is definitely different and ultimately entertaining. As the mystery unravels the book gains momentum and it left me intrigued enough to give book 2 a try at some point. George Newbern does a good job on the voices and seems like a great fit for bringing Bobby D's unique personality to life.