Where Oblivion Lives

Frohock’s intriguing first Los Nefilim novel (after her novella trilogy of the same name), set in the years around the Spanish Civil War, takes Diago Alvarez behind enemy lines. Nefilim are descendents of angels or daimons, able to craft sigils and empower them with their voices and songs. Born of both angel and daimon, Diago is unique among Los Nefilim, the group of Nefilim who monitor daimonic activity for the angels; he has the daimon ability to hear and the angelic ability to sing. Enlisting the aid of Lorelei Fischer—an agent of the equivalent French group, Les Nephilim—Diago slips across the Rhine and onto the debilitated property of the Grier brothers in search of the the source of the song haunting his dreams. Meanwhile, in Spain, Nefilim leader Don Guillermo and Miquel, Diago’s husband, uncover spies within their own ranks. Following various leads, they find an unexpected villain who has devastating plans for the Nefilim. Frohock has intricately woven a unique reinterpretation of history. Eloquent prose accompanies a lyrical theme amid prewar tensions, enriching this imaginative historical fantasy. Agent: Lisa Rodgers, JABberwockey Literary. (Feb.)