The Twice-Drowned Saint

For this refreshing but uneven fantasy, World Fantasy Award winner Cooney (Saint Death’s Daughter) imagines angels as Lovecraftian monsters. Ishtu was a child when 11-eyed Alizar, one of the 14 angels who rule the utopian city of Gelethel, appeared to her, marking her as Alizar’s saint. She refused to take the position publicly, but the pair have forged a close bond in secret over the 30-odd years since. Now refugees from across Gelethel’s border lobby the angels for citizenship and protection from external wars using human sacrifice. When one supplicant brings his own sister, Betony, to be sacrificed, Ishtu and Alizar both immediately recognize her as Alizar’s official saint, complicating the delicate balance of their own relationship. Meanwhile, Ishtu’s parents are sick, and she needs to get them out of Gelethel fast—but fleeing means risking the wrath of the angels. The setup is well done, but it soon becomes clear that there are no real stakes to the story, as Alizar is immensely powerful and always there to rescue both Ishtu and Betony in the nick of time. This lack of danger saps the tension from the story, but Cooney compensates with a sense of fun and camaraderie among the characters. It’s not quite enthralling, but it has plenty of charm. (Feb.)