Angel with the sword

No cover — C. J. Cherryh: Angel with the sword (1986, DAW Books)

Paperback, 295 pages

English language

Published Sept. 7, 1986 by DAW Books.

ISBN:: 978-0-88677-143-0

(5 reviews)

Merovingen, a watery canal-laced city, much like Earth's Venice, society is segregated along class lines between the lower and upper cities. Against her better judgment, Altair Jones, 17, rescues an unconscious man from a canal near her poleboat. She is fascinated by Mondragon's good looks and elegant ways and begins to fall in love with him. Even though she knows there is no future for a water rat like herself with such a man, she decides to watch over him and rescue him from his enemies; enemies who turn out to be the most powerful people in the upper city.

3 editions

zumbador reviewed Angel with the sword by C. J. Cherryh (Merovingen nights)

Review of 'Angel with the sword' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

This book started out really well, with a fantastic world and excellent characters. Altair Jones is an original creation - fierce and uncompromising, a girl not to be trifled with. The world is very convincing, with many details about what it is like to be a pole boater, the dialect they use, all portrayed very directly. I could hear and smell what was going on.

Like some of C J Cherryh's other books, this one got bogged down with the details of the shifting relationships between the characters. Should they trust one another? How do they feel about one another? And the climax that reveals the reasons behind their actions fell rather flat.

Not a bad book, but not as good as - say Hellburner or Downbelow Station.