The Adventures of Icarus Fell
"I love the author's style. Elements that should conflict actually blend together to make for a great story. Each of the elements work in the story, creating complex characters and a rich environment for the tale to unfold. I like the way the story feels realistic despite its paranormal elements. The characters and their actions make sense but they aren't predictible; each action and reaction builds the suspense and creates many possible outcomes. I also appreciate how Blake holds nothing back--horrific accidents, gruesome murders, suggested abuse, detailed descriptions of the effects of drug and alcohol abuse, frank comments on arousal--all of these elements give the story an edge that separates it from most books in the paranormal genre. It's definitely not what I expected but I'm hooked. I have to read the other books in this series." - Amanda Miller - A Bookaholics Fix
"It. Was. Awesome. The whole feeling of the book can be described by this quote from the early pages:
“And, let’s face it, if God existed, he probably looked down one day on the shite he created, packed up his tent and went somewhere else to give it another shot, hoping for better luck on the second go-round.”
Mr. Blake does a perfect job of skewering the ridiculous nature of religion when looked at from a logical rather than superstitious view. Blake writes the story that I have always wanted to write – if there really is a God, it is removed far enough from our reality as to no longer exist, if it ever did at all. And he does it with a turn of phrase and intelligence that led me at warp speed through his writing.
Overall, this is a dark, moody piece which left me sad in places and laughing hysterically in others. I am so looking forward to the next installment. If you are a fan of the old noir detective stories, the Nightside novels, or similar you will these novels. Off to read the next one!" - So I Read This Book Today book reviews
"Bruce A. Blake's first novel is a thoroughly entertaining, as well as thought-provoking and heart-wrenching novel that breaks the author out of obscurity as well as out of several genre conventions.
What I liked about this book:
The style: Raymond Chandler meets Stephen King. Spare and terse, it presents characters clearly and sets the ideal tone for this occult horror/mystery thriller story. It shows not only Blake's ability, but also his commitment to professionalism.
Second, it's a tight, fast-paced plot suitable for an action thriller. Blake doesn't waste time, getting into the main action immediately, and there is not a throw-away scene anywhere. Every scene, every word adds to the plot as much as to character development, mood or scene.
Third, the characters are all solid and believable. The main character, Icarus Fell (yes, that's his name and Blake has lots of fun with it) is fallible, thoroughly human, not too smart nor too stupid. One reason the plot flows so fast is that it's seen through the protagonist's eyes, and his foibles are so easy to identify with. The ex-wife is nasty, but also believable...The angels and archangels carry a very believable lack of worry about humans' plans if they don't mesh with Heaven's, too.
And the Angel of Death is one of the best villains ever. Of course, with that as your template, how could a writer go wrong?
The author avoids the error that many first-time novelists make, the information dump. We readers get the back-story bit by bit, as we need them to understand the motivations of the characters. And like a true professional author of mystery thrillers, Blake ties together all the threads. There is nothing random, nothing unnecessary, nothing unexplained in this book.
Overall, On Unfaithful Wings satisfies. Well done, Bruce!" - Scott Bury, author of The Bones of the Earth and Army of Worn Soles
"This was a very enjoyable read. Icarus Fell is a complex, flawed, believable character. His adventure is exciting. I really enjoyed the way that the angels and fallen angels weren't black and white, 100% good and on the other side 100% evil. They each had motivations and drives that we don't fully understand or agree with. Urban fantasy at it's best. Nice work, Bruce Blake! Let's see what else you've got up your sleeves." - top Amazon reviewer