Tread of Angels

Roanhorse’s (Black Sun) imaginative novella transports listeners to an alternative-history Colorado in 1883, where the Fallen—descendants of demons—serve the Elect, who are society’s elites. When a Virtue (the highest of the Elect) is found dead the morning after a bar fight, suspicion falls on Mariel, a half-Fallen/half-Elect nightclub singer. Mariel’s sister Celeste is determined to prove her innocence, even if it means reconnecting with her demon ex-lover, Abraxas. But defending Mariel forces Celeste to confront a number of uncomfortable truths about her family and her community, and she must decide how far she’s willing to go to save Mariel. Readers familiar with Roanhorse’s novels will find the same depth of worldbuilding, morally ambiguous characters, and clever transformation of familiar tropes, myths, and legends, this time focused on the Old West and Christian stories of angels and demons. Dion Graham’s narration is top-notch, with varied intensities that ratchet up the intrigue and distinctive voices for each character; it enhances Roanhorse’s intriguing tale of angels and demons and makes the action easy to follow.