Title: Flaming Dove
Author: Daniel Arenson
Sypnosis: Outcast from Hell. Banished from Heaven. Lost on Earth.The battle of Armageddon was finally fought… and ended with no clear victor. Upon the mountain, the armies of Hell and Heaven beat each other into a bloody, uneasy standstill, leaving the Earth in ruins. Armageddon should have ended with Heaven winning, ushering in an era of peace. That’s what the prophecies said. Instead, the two armies–one of angels, one of demons–hunker down in the scorched planet, lick their wounds, and gear up for a prolonged war with no end in sight.In this chaos of warring armies and ruined landscapes, Laila doesn’t want to take sides. Her mother was an angel, her father a demon; she is outcast from both camps. And yet both armies need her, for with her mixed blood, Laila can become the ultimate spy… or ultimate soldier. As the armies of Heaven and Hell pursue her, Laila’s only war is within her heart–a struggle between her demonic and heavenly blood
My Thoughts:
Flaming Dove is a dark fantasy that pits angels against demons in the battle for supremacy on earth. However as the battle rages, the distinction between good and evil blurs, epitomised by the dual nature of Leila, a half angel, half demon. After twenty seven years, weary from the unforgiving conflict, both sides hope that Leila will deliver them victory.
Banished from God’s grace and abandoned by Hell, Leila searches for a place to call home among the wasteland that is Earth. Leila’s bleak and lonely existence provokes a sympathetic response from the reader, even while she proves she is more than able to take care of herself. Leila’s desires are seemingly simple, a wish for acceptance and belonging, but her very nature means that this will always be denied despite her admirable struggle to achieve this aim. Arenson portrays both Leila’s internal and external conflict well, through both thought and behaviour.
As a half breed, Leila emphasises the schizm that is present in all of Arenson’s characters. Arenson has humanised the iconic symbols of good and evil to communicate his basic premise that neither people nor situations are inherently, nor completely, good or evil.
The angels, including Michael and Gabriel are not only righteous avengers but are also flawed with an odd vulnerability. They may believe that they are fighting on the side of right but recognise their hypocrisy. Neither is Beezlebub a being of evil, but instead a creature motivated by revenge and bitterness for what he feels is an unjust punishment, who is also capable of a suprising charm, and affection for the women in his life. For me, Bat El is the character that I found the least credible, her change in personality and behaviour didn’t track for me.
Arenson’s imagery for both character and place are detailed and evocative. I particularly enjoy his descriptions of the crumbling streets in the battle scarred towns. I do feel the narrative could be tighter in places, as at times it is melodramatic and repetitive. I also felt that Arenson’s dialogue is often inconsistent with the character or situation. While Laila is prone to dramatic declarations, “I am Laila of the night, godlight and hellfire..”, she also refers to Lucifer as Dad, and Bat El trades quips with Beezlebub who promises “no funny stuff”, the disparaty in language is jarring for me.
Despite the focus on the internal conflicts of the characters, there are action packed scenes as demon hordes and angel warriors face each other in battle which Arenson skillfully describes with lashings of godlight, trails of demonfire, dripping fangs and bloodied courage. These are well written and introduce tension and excitement into the story.
I think this is a story that will appeal to both male and female fans of the genre. Arenson has written a creative and entertaining fantasy novel. While I had some issues with the writing, I enjoyed the story elements of Flaming Dove, with its complex characters, epic conflict and thought provoking examination of good versus evil.
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Book’d Out 
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