Tread of Angels

by Rebecca Roanhorse

Celeste, a card sharp with a need for justice, takes on the role of advocatus diaboli, to defend her sister Mariel, accused of murdering a Virtue, a member of the ruling class of this mining town, in a new world of dark fantasy from the New York Times bestselling author of Black Sun, Rebecca Roanhorse.

The year is 1883 and the mining town of Goetia is booming as prospectors from near and far come to mine the powerful new element Divinity from the high mountains of Colorado with the help of the pariahs of society known as the Fallen. The Fallen are the descendants of demonkind living amongst the Virtues, the winners in an ancient war, with the descendants of both sides choosing to live alongside Abaddon’s mountain in this tale of the mythological West from the bestselling mastermind Rebecca Roanhorse.

• ISBN10: 1797148613
• ISBN13: 9781797148618
• Publish Date: 15 November 2022
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Imprint: Simon & Schuster Audio
• Edition: Unabridged
• Format: Audiobook
• Duration: 4 hours and 1 minutes
• Language: English

Reviews

[annieb123]

Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Tread of Angels is a novella length fantasy/wild west/historical/whodunnit by powerhouse fantasist Rebecca Roanhorse. Released 15th Nov 2022 by Simon & Schuster on their Gallery/Saga Press imprint, it's 208 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback due out in 2nd quarter 2023 from the same publisher. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. 

The author is one of the most lauded and peer-respected living authors (in any genre) today. This is a well written shorter form in a different subgenre than her other work. The pacing is quite a departure (because of the shorter length?), but it's engaging and readable all the same. Classism in the old west is alive and well. The races in this novel are literally angels and demons, who can (and do) hybridize with humans. Two products of these unions, sisters, are in different situations because one sister can pass in the Elect society, whilst the other sister remains with their mother in the Fallen society. When Mariel is accused and arrested for murder, wellborn sister Celeste chooses to stand with her.

The setup, essentially a murder mystery in an alt-earth setting, is well constructed. There is a lot of pithy and all-too-relevant social commentary throughout. 

Four stars. Ms. Roanhorse is a talented and capable author. This wouldn't go amiss in a pleasure reading TBR list as well as a more formal analysis/literature classroom setting for secondary or post secondary instruction. 

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.