The Mortality Principle

Rogue Angel #56

by Alex Archer

When legend becomes deadly reality...

In Prague researching the legend of the Golem, a fantastical "living" creature made of clay, archaeologist Annja Creed is faced with an even bigger mystery on her hands when someone begins murdering the homeless. And every day there's a fresh corpse.

As the suspicion that Golem is behind the deaths circulates quietly on the streets of the city, Annja cannot resist unraveling the thread that binds science to superstition. According to Czech history, these aren't new attacks. They're part of a greater pattern of murders that have gone unacknowledged over centuries. And now Annja is the next target. Unless she can find the real monster behind the myth...before it finds her.

Genres: Fantasy, Adventure, Audiobook, Urban Fantasy, Thriller, Paranormal, Action

320 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published September 1, 2015

About the author

A house name for the Rogue Angel series, published by the Harlequin Publishing's Gold Eagle division.

The first eight novels were written by Victor Milan and Mel Odom. New writers joining the series starting with book nine include Jon Merz and Joseph Nassise.

Reviews

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the fifty-sixth Rogue Angel adventure, the penultimate paperback, and was the final one that was written by Steven Savile, who wrote five of the last ten, all under the house pseudonym Alex Archer, of course. Annja Creed is an archaeologist and historian who appears on a syndicated television program called Chasing History's Monsters. She's also the heir to the blade and power of Joan of Arc. This one has major input from both of the two Joan-adjacent guys, Garin and Roux, though their happy teamwork is still a little hard to buy after the secret we learned a couple of volumes prior. Annja is in Prague, working on an episode of her television show about the legend of the Golem. She finds a thin line between science and the supernatural, and there's something of a steampunk flavor. There's a string of serial murders that seems to stretch back for centuries. She goes along with an unlikely reality-tv gimmick for her show, and there's a nifty shout-out to Shelley's Frankenstein. The past of Roux and Garin has come back to haunt them, again. Lots of chasing and fighting ensue... An epilog that seems kind of gratuitous. The settings are all quite well described, as usual, and it's a fast-paced adventure. In between all of the Lara Croft/Indiana Jones/Sara Pezzini trappings there's some good character development and interesting historical speculation, as always. Annja appears on the Tim Bradstreet cover with her sword held high in the rain, her mouth wide open in a battle cry, and suspended in mid-air in a totally berserk attack... it's the most action-packed cover of the series.

[John Hanscom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe more. This is the 36th book in this silly but enjoyable series I have read, and it is one of the best, except for a confusing and absolutely unnecessary epilogue.

[Lianne Burwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Annja has been told that the network is going to cancel her television unless she can come up with something spectacular (and live). As a result, she ends up in Prague, where a series of murders appears to be the fault of the legendary Golem. Both Garin and Roux show up, due to a personal history with the Golem (that starts at the legendary vacation where Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein).

There were some plot holes, and I'm not just referring to the network execs (seriously, a live show where the audience can chose which leads Annja follows? Can we say Capone's vault, for those that remember the event that almost killed Geraldo Rivera's career). The explanation of the Golem left a lot of obvious questions. As well, the finale was really unnecessary.

So, only one more book to go in the series. A pity, since even the lesser books in the series were a lot of fun.

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love that the author is giving Garin and Roo bigger roles in the stories. Though the relationship between Garin and Roo is still strained ever since he tricked Annja and Roo in believing his life was in jeopardy to get his hands on a hard to find artifact, Annja seems to be well on the road to forgiveness in this installment.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have enjoyed reading most Alex Archer Rogue Angel books knowing that they are written by different authors. This one has possibilities of being a good read. The characterizations were there, the setting was there, (with so many possibilites) and the "monster" was there. That was it. Annja was weak in this book..not her usual "kick-ass" self. The action didn't get started into wellllllll into the book making it hard to keep reading. It was a disappointment because it could have had so much MORE in the story.

[Melinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love these books and I'm so sad that this is nearly the last one. Most of the time I listen to the Graphic Audio audiobooks - 5 hours of entertainment, history and fantasy. It might be a bit corny at times, or slightly not quite totally fact-checked, but its well worth the effort.

[Craig · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read about 75 pages, 25 each at beginning, middle and end. 56th IN THE SERIES! Author should have ended the series about 50 books back. I guess okay for a dime store book worth a nickle that I got for free from the library.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting. A different take on the golem being part mechanical. Heard the next book may be the last in the series. A little sad about that but all good things must come to an end sometimes!