Good fantasy about angels and demons (not "Angels and Demons")

[alias_sqbr]

Cam has been complaining for ages that he can't find the sort of books/graphic novels he's interested in: urban fantasy based on christian mythology and the fight between good and evil, possibly with a humanist subtext. I couldn't think of anything, so I thought I'd ask you guys.

The main examples he's encountered have been movies/tv: "Constantine"(*), "The Prophecy", "Fallen", Season 4 of Supernatural, "The Second Coming".

Bookwise he liked "Good Omens".

Not metaphorical or inspiring angels a la "Touched by an Angel" or "Angels in America". He's not christian at all, he just likes the mythology.

And yes, I suggested Evangelion but he said it looked too irritatingly fanservicey and dated.

One's I've read but don't think he'd like based on my knowledge of his taste: "Lucifer" (the Sandman spinoff) and "Damiano". I'm not sure about "Haibane Renmai" but I don't think it's what he's looking for.

NOTE: I'm not going to reply with whether or not stuff matches Cam's requirements, he can answer those himself (and probably won't, knowing him, though he is reading the comments) I may with reply with what I think of stuff, but that's different :)

(*)What I've read of Hellblazer was more generic horror than christian stuff so I didn't rec it.

Comments

[mpfl.livejournal.com]

Just in case he hasn't read it... Preacher.

[alias_sqbr]

Good suggestion! I didn't like it but Cam might.

[stephbg.livejournal.com]

Storm Constantine's work perhaps? I wasn't keen but there's urban angel mythology aplenty.

[alias_sqbr]

Hmm, maybe.

[patternsofchaos.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure what you mean by "Lucifer" (the ones by Mike Carey?) but I thought "I, Lucifer" by Glen Duncan was pretty funny and quite clever. It may not be exactly what he's after but it's a good read.

[alias_sqbr]

Yes, the Mike Carey one. "I Lucifer" sounds interesting.

[arcadiagt5.livejournal.com]

It probably isn't quite what Cam is looking for but do look up "Archangel" by Sharon Shinn.

Good read, almost impossible to talk about without spoiling to some extent.

[lizbyrd.livejournal.com]

The back cover of that book explained the premise, except the premise was not actually relevant to the story at all until the sequels. It was kind of weird.

I really liked that one as a teenager.

[alias_sqbr]

*googles*

Well, it looks interesting to me :)

[arcadiagt5.livejournal.com]

The sequels are also good, oddly I found the middle book to be the strongest of the trilogy.

So if you like the first one, it will only get better. :)

[alias_sqbr]

Awesome.

[baby-elvis.livejournal.com]

I don't know if they are still available but R.A. MacAvoy's

Damiano (1983)
Damiano's Lute (1984)
Raphael (1984)
omnibus edition titled A Trio for Lute


might be useful.

[alias_sqbr]

*nods*

I don't think they're Cam's sort of thing but I personally enjoyed them.

[strangedave.livejournal.com]

Hellblazer has, indeed, gone all over the horror map in its long history, but it quite often is specifically in the territory you describe. The first Garth Ennis stories that begin with Dangerous Habits are probably a good choice, also the first long storyline by Jamie Delano (I think collected as part of the Original Sins collection).

To Reign in Hell by Stephen Brust might be interesting.

[arcadiagt5.livejournal.com]

I'd second Brust's To Reign in Hell. Good book and has one of the best blurbs ever (quoted from memory):

"In all my readings of the revolt of the angels two things are clear: God is omnipotent and Satan is not a fool. There seems to be a contradiction here."

[alias_sqbr]

Thanks for the specific recs. And lo, "Dangerous Habits" is in the library system.

I don't know if Cam will read "To Reign in Hell" but I think I might :)

[justadecoy.livejournal.com]

I make no claims to the quality of this but it crossed my path some years ago:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_Pope

[triestine.livejournal.com]

Battle Pope is hilarious and excellent.

[alias_sqbr]

Ha! Yeah, I read that in unisfa. It was certainly unique :D

[furikku.livejournal.com]

Going with the obvious Japanese stuff:

Angel Sanctuary (the comic, NOT the OAV, which is objectively terrible)- pretty violent and has all sorts of icky sexual bits all up ons, but so incredibly well-written that one can look past that.

Demon Ororon- I haven't read all of this one, but may be up his alley.

Less obvious:

Tetragrammaton Labyrinth- Slightly less urban, being set in a sort of steampunk 1920s; it's another nuns-with-guns thing that I found fairly enjoyable. Does some interesting things with the mythology.

Chrono Crusade- This matches the description of TL. Both are enjoyable.

Sorcery 101 (http://sorcery101.net/) might also be interesting, though it's more focused on general fantasy stuff than specifically Xtian mythology.

Alan Moore's run on Swamp Thing has a long arc dealing with metaphysical stuff that has some Xtian elements. It also owns.

[alias_sqbr]

Thanks.

I've been meaning to reread Alan Moore's Swamp Thing, I enjoyed it when I read it many years ago.

[triestine.livejournal.com]

Master and Margarita is a must.

[alias_sqbr]

*googles*

Huh. I had never heard of that but will definitely try and hunt down a copy.

[triestine.livejournal.com]

It's one of those immense, rich literary classics that everyone praises but few really read, but I couldn't recommend it more. To me it's one of the best and most exciting urban fantasies around, with the supernatural world of the Christians integrated vividly with our contemporary reality. Bringing it up like this, I think I really ought to reread it over the summer.

[alias_sqbr]

Well it appears to be in the library system so I should get a chance to read it soonish.

[violetsquirrel.livejournal.com]

If he thinks Eva looks dated, they're actually in the process of releasing a series of movies which are basically updated Eva. I haven't seen the two that are out so I can't say what the fanservice content is like but by all accounts that I've seen they're actually really good movies and a good update to the story. I think the first one is called You Are (Not) Alone.

Otherwise animewise, maybe Witchhunter Robin? It's not so much about angels and demons but IIRC it's pretty church vs evil (or are they) witches-based so that might count. The plot takes a while to warm up but it's excellent after that.

... there are more things on the tip of my brain, I'll see if I can recall them tomorrow morning.

[nico-wolfwood.livejournal.com]

Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone is brilliant! I loved it.

[bunny-m.livejournal.com]

Witchhunter Robin is a great show, but perhaps not quite what Cam is looking for.

Worth a watch, at least.

[alias_sqbr]

I was just assuming the Evangelion remakes were crap, I may have to give them a go.

Witchhunter Robin is probably not christian enough, though it's definitely an awesome show.

[arcadiagt5.livejournal.com]

I was just assuming the Evangelion remakes were crap, I may have to give them a go.

Given the starting point not a big assumption to make...

:)

[penchaft.livejournal.com]

Spriggan? (I've only seen the movie, not the manga.) It's more about evil humans vs not-evil humans, though.

[alias_sqbr]

HMMM. Dunno, maybe. Thanks.