Angels with Brass Knuckles (3.5 out 5)

As the second book in Simon R. Green’s Nightside series, Agents of Light and Darkness is much better than its debut novel. Green gives us a no bars attached version of the Nightside, where the villains are not as silly as the evil house-monster in the first book. John Taylor, once again, finds himself on a well-paid mission, but this time, he’s hired by an emissary from the Vatican to find the Unholy Grail, Judas Iscariot’s cup from the Last Supper. Unfortunately, for Taylor, it appears that everyone in the Nightside is looking for it, including both good and evil angels, causing all kinds of death and destruction as they turn the dark city upside down searching for the cup. Fortunately for Taylor, he has Shotgun Suzie, a really disgusting weapon, and later THE Merlin of Arthurian lore, on his side.

Without giving too much away, the novel’s ending is predictable, but Agents of Light and Darkness is a definite improvement from Something from the Nightside. There is less rambling, and Green’s handling of Shotgun Suzie makes the gun-happy woman endearing. It leaves the reader wanting more of her! The novel also has an underlying mystery – just who is Taylor’s mother? – that hopefully the series will resolve within the next upcoming books in the series. Otherwise, even that mystery runs the risk of a “series rambling” about mommy issues.

I really like these Nightside books, but it is annoying that I can read one in about six hours.

4.5 stars out of 5
9 stars out of 10

“So much for the element of surprise,” I said. She sniffed. “I’d rather have the element of naked threat any day.”

By and large Agents of light and darkness was excellent in almost all the areas, the pacing was gripping, the plot and especially the ending were sensational and
There is a war brewing in Nighside between heaven and hell over the unholy chalice ( not the holy one, this is the one that judas drank from) and john is employed to track it down and unfortunately for him everyone else is also after that cup
the characters were cherry on the top of this book's great form(to name a few The Collector's total insanities, Merlin's terrifying power, Suzie's general badass behavior) for all these reasons this is definitely one the best books in the series.

“It's only a short step from a burning bush to a burning heretic, after all. I try not to bother God, and hope He'll do me the same courtesy.”

I read the first in this series a while back and found the second book to be significantly better. Seemed like a short book, but was a fun read all the way through.

I'm enjoying this series very much. It makes you believe that what you see out of the corner of your eye might actually be real...

3.5. light quick read.