Fallen Angels is the second book in Anna Mocikat’s dark and sexy cyberpunk action series Behind Blue Eyes.
I read the first book last year, and I’ve been excited to get back to Nephilim’s story. If you love kickass FMC’s, dark sci-fi, and series with a major romance subplot, read on. You’re definitely going to want to get to know Nephilim and Metatron!
The Story
Memory wiped, Nephilim has rejoined the Angels, the cyborg security force that protects the megacorp utopia Olympius City. But when Angels start turning up dead, Nephilim must work with a task force of human detectives to track down the mysterious crime boss who’s been selling the Angels’ secrets.
Meanwhile, in a world where love and serious relationships are banned, Nephilim’s and Metatron’s growing feelings for each other are becoming borderline illegal. And when Jake returns, jogging lost memories, Nephilim’s feelings for Metatron become even more complicated.
As the Corporation’s board threatens the existence of Angel Corpse and enemies close in from all sides, will Nephilim remain loyal to the man who erased her memory?
What I Loved
Nephilim is still most definitely the main character in Fallen Angel, but we get more glimpses into Metatron’s POV in this book. We see flashbacks of his childhood that show what made him into the person he is now. We sit in on a scene where he’s in the middle of an orgy but his sexcapades have lost their appeal to him because all he can think about is Nephilim.
And he gets more vulnerable in this book, too. There’s a moment where we genuinely fear for the seemingly indestructible cyborg’s life. It’s becoming less and less clear whether Metatron is a good guy or a bad guy in Nephilim’s story, and as a fan of a good Morally Grey Love Interest, I’m loving it!
Trigger Warnings
Fallen Angel is slightly gorier and darker than the first book in the series. Crime scenes where victims have been tortured and mutilated are described. The Angels go after a snuff prostitution ring. There’s a scene that shows an adult man with a child on his arm as his date at a corporate event. The angels storm the grounds of a secret location where the rich hunt and kill humans for sport.
There’s nothing descriptive in these scenes, but if you’re the type of person who finds crime shows a little too disturbing or can’t stand when bad stuff happens to kids, this isn’t the book for you.
A Note About The Romance
There is a major romance subplot that carries from Behind Blue Eyes into Fallen Angels, but this is not a romance series, and I wouldn’t rec it to readers of fluffy romance. On the other hand, if you’re a reader of dark romance or high-plot space opera romance, you may enjoy the Behind Blue Eyes series. Personally, I’m all in for the Metatron-Jake-Nephilim love triangle. But there’s no guarantee that Nephilim’s going to find a happy ending.
Overall Thoughts
This series has the dark and sexy vibe down pat. Sometimes Nephilim’s and Metatron’s badassery and sexcapades border on over-the-top, but the author always brings it back in with moments of vulnerability, moments that explore the the worldbuilding, and moving moments where characters connect in a system built to minimize human connection.
This instalment felt less like a complete story and more like an episode in a larger plot arc, but if you’ve come this far with Nephilim, you’re probably invested for the long haul anyway at this point.
Fallen Angels is another quality instalment in an enjoyable cyberpunk series with a lot of kickassery and enough moments of heart to keep readers invested. I recommend it to fans of sci-fi action, cyberpunk, and dark sci-fi, especially those who are looking for a longer series to explore. I’ll definitely be reading more from this author!
