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Pulling the Wings Off Angels
Pulling the Wings Off Angels is a madcap adventure brimming with the ethical quandaries and sardonic wit of The Good Place by World Fantasy Award-winning author K. J. Parker
Long ago, a wealthy man stole an angel and hid her in a chapel, where she remains imprisoned to this day.
That’s the legend, anyway.
A clerical student who’s racked up gambling debts to a local gangster is given an ultimatum—deliver the angel his grandfather kidnapped, or forfeit various body parts in payment.
And so begins a whirlwind theological paradox—with the student at its center—in which the stakes are the necessity of God, the existence of destiny—and the nature of angels.
Also by K. J. Parker
Inside Man
Prosper's Demon
The Devil You Know
The Last Witness
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Long ago, a wealthy man stole an angel and hid her in a chapel, where she remains imprisoned to this day.
That’s the legend, anyway.
A clerical student who’s racked up gambling debts to a local gangster is given an ultimatum—deliver the angel his grandfather kidnapped, or forfeit various body parts in payment.
And so begins a whirlwind theological paradox—with the student at its center—in which the stakes are the necessity of God, the existence of destiny—and the nature of angels.
Also by K. J. Parker
Inside Man
Prosper's Demon
The Devil You Know
The Last Witness
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
144 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 15, 2022
About the author
K.J. Parker
131 books1,545 followersK.J. Parker is a pseudonym for Tom Holt.
According to the biographical notes in some of Parker's books, Parker has previously worked in law, journalism, and numismatics, and now writes and makes things out of wood and metal. It is also claimed that Parker is married to a solicitor and now lives in southern England. According to an autobiographical note, Parker was raised in rural Vermont, a lifestyle which influenced Parker's work.
According to the biographical notes in some of Parker's books, Parker has previously worked in law, journalism, and numismatics, and now writes and makes things out of wood and metal. It is also claimed that Parker is married to a solicitor and now lives in southern England. According to an autobiographical note, Parker was raised in rural Vermont, a lifestyle which influenced Parker's work.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 190 reviews
July 15, 2023
My complete review is published at Grimdark Magazine.
K.J. Parker is a pseudonym for British author Tom Holt, two-time winner of the World Fantasy Award for best novella. Given his impressive track record in the genre, I was excited to read Parker’s latest fantasy novella, Pulling the Wings Off Angels.
Pulling the Wings Off Angels takes place in the fantasy world of Chosroene, a medieval-inspired land that is only loosely developed for the purposes of the novella. The narrator is a theology student who has lost faith in God, known in Chosroene as the Invincible Sun. Freed from religious morals, the narrator lives a life of debauchery and has racked up a massive debt to a local gangster, Florio.
As Pulling the Wings Off Angels opens, Florio threatens to torture the narrator for his inability to pay back his debt. But Florio also offers him a way to clear his liabilities by rescuing an angel who had supposedly been kidnapped and imprisoned by the narrator’s impresario grandfather over eighty years ago.
The narrator, of course, does not believe in this legend concerning his grandfather, trusting that he was an upstanding citizen. Given his doubts about the existence of God, he also doesn’t believe in angels.
Imagine the narrator’s surprise, then, when he discovers a glowing angel imprisoned in the basement of a local chapel. The angel’s wings have been clipped, making her unable to escape since, as she explains, angel legs are not actually functional for walking.
To make matters worse, God is unable to help the angel—and is unaware of the angel’s predicament—because she is trapped in a room that is completely hidden to God. We learn that the room was designed by Saloninus, a theology professor who has discovered a means of locally limiting the sight of the Invincible Sun.
The setup of Pulling the Wings Off Angels is meant to raise a paradox about the existence of God in the context of their religion. Most of the discussions in the novella are related to theology, including whether unrepented sins are passed down through the generations and whether it is ever too late for a sinner to repent.
Although K.J. Parker’s writing is outstanding and the novella raises some interesting questions, ultimately Pulling the Wings Off Angels falls flat. The main problem is that the theological paradox raised by the author is in the context of a made-up religion in a fantasy world where the rules seem to have been designed specifically to construct the aforementioned paradox.
Another issue is K.J. Parker’s use of Italian-inspired worldbuilding to represent a fantasy country run by gangsters. This trope has been used in the Venetian-inspired world of Scott Lynch’s Gentleman Bastard series (starting with The Lies of Locke Lamora), as well as Robert Jackson Bennett’s Founders Trilogy (Foundryside). While I enjoyed the Italian representation in these books, I don’t particularly appreciate the Godfather-style typecasting of Italian culture as being full of thieves and mafia-style gangster families.
Despite its interesting premise and excellent writing, Pulling the Wings Off Angels ultimately fails to deliver on its promise to present a compelling theological paradox.
K.J. Parker is a pseudonym for British author Tom Holt, two-time winner of the World Fantasy Award for best novella. Given his impressive track record in the genre, I was excited to read Parker’s latest fantasy novella, Pulling the Wings Off Angels.
Pulling the Wings Off Angels takes place in the fantasy world of Chosroene, a medieval-inspired land that is only loosely developed for the purposes of the novella. The narrator is a theology student who has lost faith in God, known in Chosroene as the Invincible Sun. Freed from religious morals, the narrator lives a life of debauchery and has racked up a massive debt to a local gangster, Florio.
As Pulling the Wings Off Angels opens, Florio threatens to torture the narrator for his inability to pay back his debt. But Florio also offers him a way to clear his liabilities by rescuing an angel who had supposedly been kidnapped and imprisoned by the narrator’s impresario grandfather over eighty years ago.
The narrator, of course, does not believe in this legend concerning his grandfather, trusting that he was an upstanding citizen. Given his doubts about the existence of God, he also doesn’t believe in angels.
Imagine the narrator’s surprise, then, when he discovers a glowing angel imprisoned in the basement of a local chapel. The angel’s wings have been clipped, making her unable to escape since, as she explains, angel legs are not actually functional for walking.
To make matters worse, God is unable to help the angel—and is unaware of the angel’s predicament—because she is trapped in a room that is completely hidden to God. We learn that the room was designed by Saloninus, a theology professor who has discovered a means of locally limiting the sight of the Invincible Sun.
The setup of Pulling the Wings Off Angels is meant to raise a paradox about the existence of God in the context of their religion. Most of the discussions in the novella are related to theology, including whether unrepented sins are passed down through the generations and whether it is ever too late for a sinner to repent.
Although K.J. Parker’s writing is outstanding and the novella raises some interesting questions, ultimately Pulling the Wings Off Angels falls flat. The main problem is that the theological paradox raised by the author is in the context of a made-up religion in a fantasy world where the rules seem to have been designed specifically to construct the aforementioned paradox.
Another issue is K.J. Parker’s use of Italian-inspired worldbuilding to represent a fantasy country run by gangsters. This trope has been used in the Venetian-inspired world of Scott Lynch’s Gentleman Bastard series (starting with The Lies of Locke Lamora), as well as Robert Jackson Bennett’s Founders Trilogy (Foundryside). While I enjoyed the Italian representation in these books, I don’t particularly appreciate the Godfather-style typecasting of Italian culture as being full of thieves and mafia-style gangster families.
Despite its interesting premise and excellent writing, Pulling the Wings Off Angels ultimately fails to deliver on its promise to present a compelling theological paradox.
September 11, 2022
4 stars, and that only because I like Saloninus.
This is probably my least favorite Parker novella, second only to Long Game. I've said before that I'm not as big of a fan of his metaphysical/religious/philosophical works as I am the economic/political/military ones, so I pretty much knew going in it probably wasn't going to be a new favorite. That being said, it's still Parker, who is an amazing writer whose style I greatly enjoy. It also is becoming almost ridiculous to see just how many real word scientists/philosophers/playwrights/novelists etc that he can just roll into Saloninus lol.
At parts, this really felt like a screed against religion just in general, so much so that, ironic considering the book's themes, felt a bit preachy. Still, the exploration of justice in opposition to mercy and the idea of inheritance and fate is interesting as always, as well as the miserable protagonist and Saloninus his usual ludicrously brilliant (yet once again mysteriously broke) self. With his last 2 novels falling into this metaphysical category, here's hoping the next one is from the other category.
(thank you to NetGalley for the ARC)
This is probably my least favorite Parker novella, second only to Long Game. I've said before that I'm not as big of a fan of his metaphysical/religious/philosophical works as I am the economic/political/military ones, so I pretty much knew going in it probably wasn't going to be a new favorite. That being said, it's still Parker, who is an amazing writer whose style I greatly enjoy. It also is becoming almost ridiculous to see just how many real word scientists/philosophers/playwrights/novelists etc that he can just roll into Saloninus lol.
At parts, this really felt like a screed against religion just in general, so much so that, ironic considering the book's themes, felt a bit preachy. Still, the exploration of justice in opposition to mercy and the idea of inheritance and fate is interesting as always, as well as the miserable protagonist and Saloninus his usual ludicrously brilliant (yet once again mysteriously broke) self. With his last 2 novels falling into this metaphysical category, here's hoping the next one is from the other category.
(thank you to NetGalley for the ARC)
March 14, 2023
No matter what you do or don’t believe, pulling the wings off angels is a profoundly horrible, stupid thing to do, and in the long run you’ll find you wish you hadn’t.
There aren’t many angels or magic spells in the novels of K J Parker. It’s part of what I love about his speculative fiction, apart from the darkest shade of bleak humour. Parker has no need for magicks in the worlds he imagines. His heroes get by through a combination of being smart, being really good at their chosen craft and being completely ruthless when it comes to questions of ethics and morality.
So what’s an angel doing in a novella by mr. Parker [Holt]? And why the need for cruelty?
Fans of the author will surely enjoy another wild ride through the twisted yet brilliantly logical progression of the author’s argumentation.
There’s nothing quite like scriptures for killing faith stone dead. Actually reading them and thinking about what they said evaporated my belief like spit on a hot oven. I can’t say I was sorry. Up until then, my life had been constrained and restricted by all sorts of rules, most of them arbitrary and quite unreasonable; thou shall not steal, for crying out loud, thou shall not commit adultery, where’s the fun in that? Once they’d dissipated into the mist, I realised I could do what I liked.
Our guide through this trip, a first person narration, is a theology student with a gambling addiction, which lands him in hot water with a local gangster named Florio.
Florio is notorious, among other things, for cutting out pieces of their bodies and feeding them to the people he wants to persuade. Our student is quickly persuaded, but what Florio wants from him is rather peculiar: a date with an angel!
Moral: Never play cards with notorious underground figures. If you do, and you get dealt a hand with four aces, fold immediately.
>>><<<>>><<<
This is the setting, and it’s quite straightforward, but the ‘meat’ of the novella brings in another couple of players, both of them in a supporting act for what will soon become an extended essay on moral philosophy.
The argument is carried out between the morality professor at the seminar, Saloninus, renowned to be the smartest man alive, and God himself, with the student relegated to the part of ping-pong ball between the two, while Florio is granted a boon for his audacity.
“You’re guilty by association and under the rules of joint enterprise. Not to mention inheritance.”
“Excuse me?”
“The sins of the fathers, stupid. To the fourth and fifth generation.”
Actions and consequences, personal responsibility and guilt by association, mercy versus justice and ultimately, the attributes of God, come into play, at the instigation of the gangster Florio.
“Mercy shmercy,” said the angel. “The thing about mercy, it’s discretional. He chooses to forgive. If he decides not to, you can’t take Him to court and get a writ of specific performance.”
The editors have chosen to go with a Deadpool comparison on the cover, and the irreverent presentation surely justifies that. I believe the style is closer to the movie ‘Dogma’ because it deals with similar issues about the nature, and limitations, of divinity.
There’s also some strong vibe of Terry Pratchett for me, but the connection needs to be put in
>>><<<>>><<<
My only complaint about the present novella is that it is too short, and a bit of a one trick pony. But it is a very good showcase for the main themes of a K J Parker story [they are all in the end about morality].
I had a great time reading it, and I only wish it was a longer, more complicated novel. But these would surely come soon. Parker’s output is tremendous.
My head was buzzing. If there’s one fundamental rule of life, it’s that you can’t fight the authorities. But what if you could? An intoxicating thought even under normal circumstances. For a man damned to hell ...
April 4, 2023
💀 DNF at 30%.
Noooooo, I just DNFed a book by
Sorry, what? You're wondering why exactly this story didn't work for me? Not a bloody shrimping clue. It just didn't. Life sucks. I'm afraid this is just too much for my poor, black, nefarious little heart. Please do excuse me while I put a slightly dramatic end to my suffering.
Read
April 8, 2023KJ Parker returns to his endless war with theology, technology, and humanity. You do get the feeling his body of work is a long, cynical and frankly rather depressed search for some sort of meaning in a universe he knows contains none. A good read, if eschatologically bleak
September 3, 2022
3.5/5
I'm a huge fan of K.J. Parker's novellas, especially his Salonimus series. Pulling The Wings off Angels delivers the same caustic tone and cynical look at the life I relate to. That said, It's probably not as good as his recent novellas. That said, it's still better than most of the stuff out there, so there's that. Longer review to come.
I'm a huge fan of K.J. Parker's novellas, especially his Salonimus series. Pulling The Wings off Angels delivers the same caustic tone and cynical look at the life I relate to. That said, It's probably not as good as his recent novellas. That said, it's still better than most of the stuff out there, so there's that. Longer review to come.
September 10, 2022
This novella started off so great, but the second half didn't really go where I wanted it to. The humor was better utilized here for me than in 16 ways, and I do find the core concept incredible. But all the stuff dealing with God, just...wasn't for me. I do think the novella does an impressive amount for such a low page count, and I will definitely read more Parker after this.
January 20, 2023
Ahhh, yes. I think this might be my favorite K.J. Parker I've read in a while. Protagonist? Unnamed theology student/priest. Antagonist? God. Lots o' lols. Salonius features as a significant, but not viewpoint character.
February 1, 2023
Classic K.J. Parker flair and wit! Not my favorite in his canon, but still a fun ride.
Concept: ★★
Humor/Wit: ★★★★
Enjoyment: ★★★
I think it's no surprise that I'm a huge fan of K.J. Parker. Both Inside Man and Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City are some of my favorite books of all time—I can't seem to get enough of his wit and no-holds-barred sense of "you better keep up, because I'm not slowing down" energy.
Pulling the Wings Off Angels had that classic wit and barreling-freight-train energy.
What would you do if you found yourself caught in a theological paradox? Think chicken and the egg, but instead of farm animals we graduated right to the big guns: the existence and willpower of God.
A clerical student grew up with the truth and lies surrounding his family name. If you believe the myth, he says, then you believe his grandfather trapped an Angel and thwarted the will of God.
Despite being a supposed clerical student, our main character has always assumed that this was the myth, not the fact. Angels and God aren't actually real, right?
Wrong. Said clerical student finds out the hard way that the unbelievable is possible, and the barometer of believability is much more suggestible and fragile than he imagined.
Enter into the vortex with K.J. Parker and find yourself questioning everything and nothing at the same time... No matter what, you're always in for an experience.
Like all of Parker's works, I find his unique writing voice and sharp wit truly one-of-a-kind. There really isn't another narrative voice out there that matches him. It's a dash of Pratchett, a splash of something sharper than Gaiman, and a heavy dose of... Parker.
Pulling the Wings Off Angels was a truly fun ride. I will admit, I think it's one of my least favorites, but that's not saying much as I still enjoyed it. My personal lower rating is more to do with the subject matter and how heavy-handed the religious theme was in this novella more than anything else. (I can only handle so much theology and philosophical whirlpools.)
K.J. Parker fans are already onto this novella, so my pitch here is for the newbies. If you like irreverent takes on religious, smart humor, and quick stories: pick this one up.
Thank you to Tordotcom publishing for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
Blog | Instagram | Libro.fm Audiobooks
Concept: ★★
Humor/Wit: ★★★★
Enjoyment: ★★★
I think it's no surprise that I'm a huge fan of K.J. Parker. Both Inside Man and Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City are some of my favorite books of all time—I can't seem to get enough of his wit and no-holds-barred sense of "you better keep up, because I'm not slowing down" energy.
Pulling the Wings Off Angels had that classic wit and barreling-freight-train energy.
What would you do if you found yourself caught in a theological paradox? Think chicken and the egg, but instead of farm animals we graduated right to the big guns: the existence and willpower of God.
A clerical student grew up with the truth and lies surrounding his family name. If you believe the myth, he says, then you believe his grandfather trapped an Angel and thwarted the will of God.
Despite being a supposed clerical student, our main character has always assumed that this was the myth, not the fact. Angels and God aren't actually real, right?
Wrong. Said clerical student finds out the hard way that the unbelievable is possible, and the barometer of believability is much more suggestible and fragile than he imagined.
Enter into the vortex with K.J. Parker and find yourself questioning everything and nothing at the same time... No matter what, you're always in for an experience.
Like all of Parker's works, I find his unique writing voice and sharp wit truly one-of-a-kind. There really isn't another narrative voice out there that matches him. It's a dash of Pratchett, a splash of something sharper than Gaiman, and a heavy dose of... Parker.
Pulling the Wings Off Angels was a truly fun ride. I will admit, I think it's one of my least favorites, but that's not saying much as I still enjoyed it. My personal lower rating is more to do with the subject matter and how heavy-handed the religious theme was in this novella more than anything else. (I can only handle so much theology and philosophical whirlpools.)
K.J. Parker fans are already onto this novella, so my pitch here is for the newbies. If you like irreverent takes on religious, smart humor, and quick stories: pick this one up.
Thank you to Tordotcom publishing for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
Blog | Instagram | Libro.fm Audiobooks
November 2, 2022
That crafty old philosopher/bastard Saloninus is behind the situation detailed by the disillusioned, ironic and hapless theologian student who is the narrator of this wry tale about a guy who needs to get an angel for the loan shark the narrator owes money to. As the tale progresses,we get a discussions about theology, secularism, determinism, personal responsibility and belief, as the hapless narrator and a trapped angel discuss god and the narrator's family history.
K.J. Parker takes us through what could have been dry and dusty philosophy, but the story is told with Parker’s wit and humour.
I wondered while reading, as Saloninus was in this story, and there was a mention of the Hus, whether this story was happening on the periphery of some of the lands in Parker’s “The Siege” series. Not that it’s critical to one’s enjoyment of this novella. If you like philosophical discussions about religion etc., with much skewering of unexamined belief, then this is for you.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Macmillan-Tor/Forge for this ARC in exchange for my review.
K.J. Parker takes us through what could have been dry and dusty philosophy, but the story is told with Parker’s wit and humour.
I wondered while reading, as Saloninus was in this story, and there was a mention of the Hus, whether this story was happening on the periphery of some of the lands in Parker’s “The Siege” series. Not that it’s critical to one’s enjoyment of this novella. If you like philosophical discussions about religion etc., with much skewering of unexamined belief, then this is for you.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Macmillan-Tor/Forge for this ARC in exchange for my review.
Read
December 6, 2022A novella by a favourite author, visiting a theological theme as he seems to have done more than once recently (e.g. exorcisms of supposedly nasty demons who don’t seem so bad, leading to a discussion on good and evil being mutually dependant, moral relativism, etc.).
This particular story is crafted around the kidnap of an Angel and a ransom discussion with the major god of Parker’s commonly featured pseudo-Byzantium world, the Invincible Sun, though the god is a proxy for one in any major monotheistic religion.
It’s an OK story, clever in parts, but somehow it didn’t grab me. Too many rules on who could do what seemed to trump whether actions were ‘right or wrong’, although that may be part of the point! A story that could have been as telling about religion and belief as Terry Pratchett’s excellent Small Gods. However, for me it never really went anywhere.
A real shame, and one of my least favourite KJ Parker reads. Normally he speaks to my soul! Sardonic, poignant storylines, an affection more for things, or even technology, rather than people; a wry, dry, irreverent humour to see you through the darker times. Often, first person narrations which are surely expressing the worldview of the author.
I’ll just tick off this story as entertaining in parts, nicely irreverent, but disappointing overall. Not one I feel I can rate unfortunately.
This particular story is crafted around the kidnap of an Angel and a ransom discussion with the major god of Parker’s commonly featured pseudo-Byzantium world, the Invincible Sun, though the god is a proxy for one in any major monotheistic religion.
It’s an OK story, clever in parts, but somehow it didn’t grab me. Too many rules on who could do what seemed to trump whether actions were ‘right or wrong’, although that may be part of the point! A story that could have been as telling about religion and belief as Terry Pratchett’s excellent Small Gods. However, for me it never really went anywhere.
A real shame, and one of my least favourite KJ Parker reads. Normally he speaks to my soul! Sardonic, poignant storylines, an affection more for things, or even technology, rather than people; a wry, dry, irreverent humour to see you through the darker times. Often, first person narrations which are surely expressing the worldview of the author.
I’ll just tick off this story as entertaining in parts, nicely irreverent, but disappointing overall. Not one I feel I can rate unfortunately.
April 13, 2023
The beginning and middle of this book were a lot better than the ending which sort of felt rushed to me. I appreciated the sardonic tone and fast pace of the novella as well as the mini debates the characters had throughout. Overall an entertaining read!
November 16, 2022
This was my first KJ Parker read, and I'm sorry to say I was disappointed. It felt far too edgy-for-sake-edgy, and had far too much Christopher Hitchens-esque "God sucks." I'm not a religious person, but the way that God was portrayed (as almost reveling in the unfairness of the world he created) just grated like the bad old days when reddit was dominated by /r/atheism.
I'm assured by people whose opinions I respect that Parker/Holt is worth reading, so I might in the future, but it's not going to be a priority.
I'm assured by people whose opinions I respect that Parker/Holt is worth reading, so I might in the future, but it's not going to be a priority.
September 3, 2022
What a bizzare novella. Surprisingly humorous, but in a dark and somewhat cynical way. Good Omens vibes, but more anti-God
December 7, 2022
Welcome back, lovely sarcasm, it’s nice to see you again. I am very fond of K.J. Parker novellas featuring Saloninus, and I’ve just spent a couple of very happy hours reading this one.
There is a lot of theology and philosophy, as well as a very snarky (understandably so) captive angel. Some people get to meet Him. It doesn’t go the way of the scriptures of this world, because it’s Parker we are talking about.
A few favourite quotes:
“Faith, of course, is just another way of saying opinion.”
“There’s nothing quite like the scriptures for killing faith stone dead.”
“Compassion and forgiveness are the opposite of justice, when you come to think of it.”
There is a lot of theology and philosophy, as well as a very snarky (understandably so) captive angel. Some people get to meet Him. It doesn’t go the way of the scriptures of this world, because it’s Parker we are talking about.
A few favourite quotes:
“Faith, of course, is just another way of saying opinion.”
“There’s nothing quite like the scriptures for killing faith stone dead.”
“Compassion and forgiveness are the opposite of justice, when you come to think of it.”
December 21, 2022
This was my first K. J. Parker book and I really enjoyed reading it till the very end. It sets this wry dark tone right from the beginning while also being humorous in a cynical, sarcastic way. Got a chuckle out of me several times and it was engaging for the most part. The ending didn't do much for me considering the build-up to it, but it still fits well enough as I think the book was more about making you consider various philosophical and ethical quandaries over what happens to the characters in it. I wouldn't recommend this book if you are overly religious however, as it questions the morality of religion and often makes fun of it.
September 4, 2022
1.5 stars. Review to come closer to publication date.
December 5, 2022
Part of the Saloninus/God/superpowers novellas and stories and like some of the earlier ones, the dialogue is witty but the plot kind of eventually jumps the shark; a decent read but not the best KJ parker by any stretch of the imagination
November 3, 2022
Probably more of a 3.5
I think I reasonably knew what I was getting into because I've read the author's The Long Game, but I also didn't read the premise in detail and got attracted by that catchy title.
I don't wanna give away much by detailing the plot or the characters here but if you are truly looking for a short read that's philosophical, with lots of discussions about theology, faith, sin and repentance, and just what it takes to believe in a higher power. I've been questioning my own faith for a while now, so reading this book and grappling with the questions raised in these pages felt like an interesting exercise for me.
Unfortunately, there's not much going on plot wise. So, I know I probably won't remember the very flimsy world building or the not so memorable characters, but I definitely will remember what this book made me think. Just go in with an open mind and maybe not too many expectations.
I think I reasonably knew what I was getting into because I've read the author's The Long Game, but I also didn't read the premise in detail and got attracted by that catchy title.
I don't wanna give away much by detailing the plot or the characters here but if you are truly looking for a short read that's philosophical, with lots of discussions about theology, faith, sin and repentance, and just what it takes to believe in a higher power. I've been questioning my own faith for a while now, so reading this book and grappling with the questions raised in these pages felt like an interesting exercise for me.
Unfortunately, there's not much going on plot wise. So, I know I probably won't remember the very flimsy world building or the not so memorable characters, but I definitely will remember what this book made me think. Just go in with an open mind and maybe not too many expectations.
October 5, 2022
Thanks to NetGalley and Tordotcom for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
4.5 stars rounded up because it hit a lot of notes for me.
KJ Parker is impossibly funny in a morbid, absurdist way. Pulling the Wings Off Angels reminded me of Prosper's Demon (which I drawn into with the blurb of "if you put Deadpool into the Witcher Geralt") but if you made it explicitly about religion. I loved this novella, and it was so funny and excellent, and I fully recognize that this is because the themes it touches on and the way it engages with them works for me. I have a long history of engaging with media that questions the existence and necessity of God (or gods), and I like when fiction goes in this direction. Still, I know a lot of people are not into that, which is fine! This tiny little novella talks a lot about free will, sin, repentance, agency, and so on and so forth in a deeply religious context and lens in an extremely caustic tone, which is not everyone's cup of tea! But it sure is mine!
In so many words, a pretty Regular Dude is forced to help a gangster kidnap an angel, and then in the process is roped into another scheme to kill God. This sounds like a lot for a novella, but Parker makes it work. I loved his use of the first person to, as though the narrator is giving some sort of deeply twisted confessional, and I loved the voices of the Angel and of God and even Florio, the gangster. I do think at times the narrator reads as though he's a regular guy trapped in a horror movie begging to be freed, but that's also an extremely entertaining angle for me.
As always I both acknowledge that this works wonderfully as a novella while simultaneously wanting to beg Parker for a full novel length story, because though he handled his themes and ideas brilliantly, I am awfully greedy and wish it went deeper. It was clever and though provoking and at times a little gruesome, but overall really, really good.
4.5 stars rounded up because it hit a lot of notes for me.
KJ Parker is impossibly funny in a morbid, absurdist way. Pulling the Wings Off Angels reminded me of Prosper's Demon (which I drawn into with the blurb of "if you put Deadpool into the Witcher Geralt") but if you made it explicitly about religion. I loved this novella, and it was so funny and excellent, and I fully recognize that this is because the themes it touches on and the way it engages with them works for me. I have a long history of engaging with media that questions the existence and necessity of God (or gods), and I like when fiction goes in this direction. Still, I know a lot of people are not into that, which is fine! This tiny little novella talks a lot about free will, sin, repentance, agency, and so on and so forth in a deeply religious context and lens in an extremely caustic tone, which is not everyone's cup of tea! But it sure is mine!
In so many words, a pretty Regular Dude is forced to help a gangster kidnap an angel, and then in the process is roped into another scheme to kill God. This sounds like a lot for a novella, but Parker makes it work. I loved his use of the first person to, as though the narrator is giving some sort of deeply twisted confessional, and I loved the voices of the Angel and of God and even Florio, the gangster. I do think at times the narrator reads as though he's a regular guy trapped in a horror movie begging to be freed, but that's also an extremely entertaining angle for me.
As always I both acknowledge that this works wonderfully as a novella while simultaneously wanting to beg Parker for a full novel length story, because though he handled his themes and ideas brilliantly, I am awfully greedy and wish it went deeper. It was clever and though provoking and at times a little gruesome, but overall really, really good.
December 7, 2022
As I have admitted before K J Parker fiction is my guilty pleasure. The dialogue is as always a delight. The premise is creative but plotting sometimes gets really muddled. And the worst part is the ending/resolution at the end. It does not deliver a closure once expects in the build-up. So... roundup to 4*
On the bright side, it is a partly Saloninus novella (and they are always a special delight). But please don't start here. Learn who are you dealing with first in:
- Blue and Gold
- The Devil You Know; and
- The Big Score
PS: super thrilled about and looking forward to: https://subterraneanpress.com/under-m...
Previous anthologies are one of the best books I own:
- Academic Exercises
- The Father of Lies
On the bright side, it is a partly Saloninus novella (and they are always a special delight). But please don't start here. Learn who are you dealing with first in:
- Blue and Gold
- The Devil You Know; and
- The Big Score
PS: super thrilled about and looking forward to: https://subterraneanpress.com/under-m...
Previous anthologies are one of the best books I own:
- Academic Exercises
- The Father of Lies
July 28, 2022
Brilliant.
Parker hits it home yet again. Another of his roguish, unreliable protagonists, who is nevertheless fairly sympathetic, has gotten himself into a heap of trouble with a gangster named Florio - and all said gangster wants is an angel that was supposedly imprisoned by the hero's grandfather.
Parker must surely have done time as a Jesuit, because the theological arguments about free will, the nature of deities, and the absolution or passing on of sins, are more tightly bound than a lawyer practicing escapology in his spare time - but also incredibly funny (at a point where the goons have the hero nailed to a door, he says "I think I may have screamed, but Florio and his people were very kind and pretended not to notice". And Parker puts more into a brief 2-page history of the hero's family than would be found in many another door-stop saga.
Sure, it's short, but possibly the better for it - there are enough over-blown novels out there - but, as usual with Parker, it's chock-full of both humour and food for thought, and yet another one of his that I will re-read several times.
My grateful thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC, all opinions are my own.
Parker hits it home yet again. Another of his roguish, unreliable protagonists, who is nevertheless fairly sympathetic, has gotten himself into a heap of trouble with a gangster named Florio - and all said gangster wants is an angel that was supposedly imprisoned by the hero's grandfather.
Parker must surely have done time as a Jesuit, because the theological arguments about free will, the nature of deities, and the absolution or passing on of sins, are more tightly bound than a lawyer practicing escapology in his spare time - but also incredibly funny (at a point where the goons have the hero nailed to a door, he says "I think I may have screamed, but Florio and his people were very kind and pretended not to notice". And Parker puts more into a brief 2-page history of the hero's family than would be found in many another door-stop saga.
Sure, it's short, but possibly the better for it - there are enough over-blown novels out there - but, as usual with Parker, it's chock-full of both humour and food for thought, and yet another one of his that I will re-read several times.
My grateful thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC, all opinions are my own.
April 14, 2023
I believed in the Invincible Sun when I was a kid.
This was such a crazy book. I loved the humour it was on point and had me laughing out loud. Reminiscent of Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett's wit. The narrator is not the best person but I loved the narratorial voice. There's a lot of theological philosophizing and theorizing. Something I feel like philosophy undergrads would love to stroke their chins over. I did love it a lot though, mostly due to comedic reasons. I will say that K. J. Parker can write! This was the first book I've read by them and I'd be down to read more if they are as fast-paced and snarky.
Absolutely bat shit crazy, Pulling the Wings Off Angels is something I will keep thinking of (and chuckling about) for a long while. The characters, though all pretty despicable are exceedingly fun to read about.
Blog Review
August 31, 2022
An old story about a captured angel turns out to be true.
Ironically funny and truly clever. A punch to the gut - or maybe the mind?
Ironically funny and truly clever. A punch to the gut - or maybe the mind?
January 11, 2023
You had me at Parker novella. I have had such good luck with Parker's short stories that he has become an automatic read for me. Parker manages to say so much in such a short book. Plus, Salonius is in this one, and he has quickly become an all-time favorite fictional character of mine.
This novella is a religious/metaphysical-leaning story, and while I did enjoy it, I find that I tend to prefer Parker's political/military-focused plots more. Despite this, Parker's trademark humor and sarcastic outlook on life are present and accounted for. I love his dialogue and his wordplay, and each novella leaves me thinking for days to come. Further, I enjoyed the ideas of inheritance and the sins of the father passing on to his sons.
At this point, I will read anything Parker writes if I can only find the time.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor Forge and TorDotCom for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
This novella is a religious/metaphysical-leaning story, and while I did enjoy it, I find that I tend to prefer Parker's political/military-focused plots more. Despite this, Parker's trademark humor and sarcastic outlook on life are present and accounted for. I love his dialogue and his wordplay, and each novella leaves me thinking for days to come. Further, I enjoyed the ideas of inheritance and the sins of the father passing on to his sons.
At this point, I will read anything Parker writes if I can only find the time.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor Forge and TorDotCom for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
December 2, 2022
What's a cover quote that would make you absolutely salivate over a new book? Is it "As if Deadpool had slipped into the body of the Witcher Geralt" -- The New York Times?
Because that quote made me desperate to pick up PULLING THE WINGS OFF ANGELS by K.J. Parker.
And let me tell you, I was massively disappointed.
PTWOA doesn't read like the take-no-prisoners menagerie of badass-ness that I'd hoped for. Instead it's all self-indulgent, allegorical nonsense. Maybe I missed the point, or maybe K.J. Parker has just written so many books that he can do whatever the hell he wants these days. Either way, my review can be summed up in one word: ugh.
The basic premise is that a soon-to-be-priest, who doesn't believe in God, learns that his grandfather has once-upon-a-time kidnapped an angel, ripped off her wings, and kept her where God can't see her, and now the narcissistic and derivative protag must help a gangster blackmail God.
Oh, and this isn't God-god btw -- this is the Immortal Sun, the scraped surface of what could be an absolutely fascinating world. The Immortal Sun and His theology bare a lot of similarities to Christianity, but unfortunately Parker uses this to ham-fist his ideas about religion and mortality down the reader's throat.
I'm giving PTWOA 2 stars solely because of the brief glances of super complex worldbuilding as well as Parker's prose. Otherwise this would be 0.5-1 star because it's boring and misleading.
That's all.
Because that quote made me desperate to pick up PULLING THE WINGS OFF ANGELS by K.J. Parker.
And let me tell you, I was massively disappointed.
PTWOA doesn't read like the take-no-prisoners menagerie of badass-ness that I'd hoped for. Instead it's all self-indulgent, allegorical nonsense. Maybe I missed the point, or maybe K.J. Parker has just written so many books that he can do whatever the hell he wants these days. Either way, my review can be summed up in one word: ugh.
The basic premise is that a soon-to-be-priest, who doesn't believe in God, learns that his grandfather has once-upon-a-time kidnapped an angel, ripped off her wings, and kept her where God can't see her, and now the narcissistic and derivative protag must help a gangster blackmail God.
Oh, and this isn't God-god btw -- this is the Immortal Sun, the scraped surface of what could be an absolutely fascinating world. The Immortal Sun and His theology bare a lot of similarities to Christianity, but unfortunately Parker uses this to ham-fist his ideas about religion and mortality down the reader's throat.
I'm giving PTWOA 2 stars solely because of the brief glances of super complex worldbuilding as well as Parker's prose. Otherwise this would be 0.5-1 star because it's boring and misleading.
That's all.
January 25, 2023
One of the funniest books I have read in a while. Says a lot about religion as well, well I think so anyway.
June 9, 2023
For a novel that constantly berates the protagonist for not understanding theology... it could use a refresher course.
Not to mention the strange implication that calculus somehow disproves the existence of a diety, something Newton himself would have scoffed at.
Not to mention the strange implication that calculus somehow disproves the existence of a diety, something Newton himself would have scoffed at.
May 13, 2024
4 out of 5 for an interesting story, witty character, and enjoyable read. This is the second book I've read from K.J. Parker and enjoyed.
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