The Resurrection Game: A Novel of the Shadowside
Author: Michelle Belanger
Publisher: Titan Books
ISBN: 9781783299560
Pages: 447
Reviewed by: Sandra Scholes
From the author of Conspiracy of Angels and Harsh Gods, protagonist Zach Westland is out for gas when he confronts Cacodaimons he has to kill - but this is the least of his worries when he sees someone else who wears his face.
As we have seen from the first novel, Zach goes through hell to find out the culprit behind every murder and this is no different as he finds a connection between Zach's double and a string of murders he has to he has to stop.
After suffering a bout of amnesia, life is still a lot strange for Zach (Zaquiel), an angel who thought he was an ordinary man, caught up in a battle of good against evil creatures, hiding his true life from prying detectives, eager police and others who would make life harder for him to live. If this wasn't enough, Zach has another shock to bear; detective Bobby Park tells him he has found a dead relative of his who has him down as her next of kin.
Things keep going from bad to worse for Zach when Remy reminds him that his lover, Lailah was killed by Dorimiel, his lapses of memory and being chased would have him think someone else wanted him dead as well. Remy and Lil help him out, but they can't understand what a mystery dead woman and a doppleganger of Zach are to do with the strange goings on in the city. What Zach has to ask himself is why would someone want to take on his shape if not to cause trouble for him?
Zach tries to discover some clues to finding the killer and realises in the past he has demanded Remy keep his oath not to tell him what he needs to know, which is if you guessed, makes his investigation more difficult. Zach also suspects other Nephilm, Saliriel most of all and he doesn't rule out those who might have been his friends, but he must move fast, or risk all those victims dying.
Back when I read Belanger's first novel featuring Zach (Conspiracy of Angels) I enjoyed her fresh voice and obvious talent for spinning a yarn, a murder mystery set in modern day with supernatural and paranormal events and people. I liked her main character, Zach as a man who struggles to cope with life in a city he doesn't seem to belong in. He doesn't even truly like or trust those like him, but think he has to come to terms with some hard facts he might not want to bear.
The novel might be written with the Shadowside in mind, but it isn't all dark. Belanger has an excellent sense of humour and is keen to sneak in Star Wars pop culture references into her work and at the same time leading us to believe that Zach wants to have a sense of belonging in a world he hardly understands.
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