Rogue Angel

Rogue Angel is a paperback series of novels produced bi-monthly since July 2006 by Harlequin Enterprises, published under a succession of imprints and written under the house name of "Alex Archer". Actual authors are credited with small notes inside the books, but not on the front covers or spines. The main character is Annja Creed. Each novel offers an adventure based on history or mythology, with a heavy fantasy slant.

Background

Although these books can be read individually as discrete adventures, when read in order some continuity of character development and sub-plots is apparent.

Typically, each volume is named for a historical or mythological artifact around which the plot revolves. The plot structure tends to be formulaic: The heroine discovers the item in question, only to have it stolen by, or be herself abducted by, the villain or a more nebulous third party, motivated by their believing that it holds some special power or significance. In the course of the story, the heroine and the reader often learn a little more about some historical period and the people who lived in it.

Series history

The series was first envisioned by Randall Toye, a Harlequin executive who fell in love with the history concerning Joan of Arc and wanted to develop the idea of a present-day Joan. Veteran action-adventure editors Feroze Mohammed and Nicole Brebner teamed up with Mel Odom to flesh out their series.

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

Influences

Rogue Angel's premise and execution displays similarities with earlier franchises such as the Witchblade comic book (published since 1995) and TV series (2001-02), Tomb Raider (1996-present), and Outlanders (1997–present).

Characters

Annja Creed

Annja Creed is a world-traveling archaeologist with a penchant for arcane history and adventure. Heir to Joan of Arc's mystic sword and an ambiguous heroic destiny, she frequently finds herself exposed to both. She is portrayed as beautiful and intelligent.

Growing up in an orphanage, Annja, partly due to her lack of knowledge of her own origins, developed a love of history, as well as an interest in martial arts. She then earned a college scholarship and achieved a Masters in Archeology, concentrating on medieval and renaissance time periods, while also acquiring specialized knowledge in anthropology and art. She has written several scholarly as well as popular-scientific articles and books.

Not long after graduating, Annja was offered a job working as a host on Chasing History’s Monsters, a syndicated television show investigating all manner of cryptids drawn from pop culture, folklore, and mythology, and occasionally less far-fetched types of "monsters" such as serial killers. She tries to bring a certain amount of factual material to the episodes she hosts, but the show's producer insists on a more sensationalist and speculative slant. This regularly frustrates her, but the salary and expense account involved allow her to travel freely, and she often puts her status as a minor celebrity to good use.

She resides in a loft in Brooklyn, New York.

The Sword

When Joan of Arc was burned at the stake for heresy, her sword was shattered by an English soldier, and the fragments were widely dispersed. However, Roux and Garin, two of the knights in her personal retinue, were cursed with immortality in order to be able to eventually track down and reassemble the artifact.

Annja was present when this came to pass, and at her touch, the blade magically reformed, making her its new bearer. It cannot be taken from her against her will, and she has the power to remove it to and retrieve it from a supernatural location referred to as "the Otherwhere". This process works regardless of the Sword's current location, giving her the ability to, for example, use the weapon as a projectile and then immediately recall it to her hand.

Moreover, it also enhances her general constitution and helps her recover from injuries.

Recurring

Roux

Roux is apparently in his sixties, but has actually been alive for more than five hundred years. The precise extent of his immortality has not been revealed, though one of the later books (River of Nightmares) shows that it is not merely longevity but imbues him with an ability to recover from wounds that outstrips even Annja's.

He and Annja are in a mentor-protege relationship, however reluctant and long-distance. At the same time, he has his own agenda, such as tracking down a variety of other purportedly magical items for reasons ranging from simple personal ambition to the genuine desire to keep them out of hands that would use them for harm, and he is not above manipulating others, including Annja, to accomplish this.

He resides in a castle-like mansion outside of Paris, France.

Garin

Garin Braden was Roux's apprentice in Joan's day. Physically, he falls squarely into the "tall, dark, and handsome" category, and he has grown considerably wealthy and powerful, with a wide range of employees and resources at his beck and call. He is arrogant and ruthless, but also experiences and acts on the occasional selfless impulse.

His relationships with both Roux and Annja are complicated. He was initially afraid that the reforming of the Sword would put an end to his longevity and consequently made several attempts to destroy or at least separate Annja and the artifact. This concern lessens over time, though, and he increasingly develops fondness of and respect for her. His feelings towards Roux appear to be a mix of deep-rooted attachment and resentment.

His main residence is in Germany, but his lifestyle is even more cosmopolitan than Annja's.

Doug Morrell

Doug Morrell produces Chasing History's Monsters and is a stereotypical media personality - young, supremely self-involved, and with a staggering disregard for facts, especially when they threaten to get in the way of ratings. His relationship with Annja is sufficiently solid to survive the frequent disagreements this causes, though.

Series listing
Renaissance (2008) collects books 1,2,3
Babel Codex (September 2013) (free[1] novella, written by Mel Odom)
Series # Title Author(s) Date Released
01 Destiny Mel Odom July 2006
02 Solomon's Jar Victor Milán September 2006
03 The Spider Stone Mel Odom November 2006
04 The Chosen Victor Milán January 2007
05 Forbidden City Mel Odom March 2007
06 The Lost Scrolls Victor Milán May 2007
07 God of Thunder Mel Odom July 2007
08 Secret of the Slaves Victor Milán September 2007
09 Warrior Spirit Jon F. Merz November 2007
10 Serpent's Kiss Mel Odom January 2008
11 Provenance Victor Milán March 2008
12 The Soul Stealer Jon F. Merz May 2008
13 Gabriel's Horn Mel Odom July 2008
14 The Golden Elephant Victor Milán September 2008
15 Swordsman's Legacy Michele Hauf November 2008
16 Polar Quest Jon F. Merz January 2009
17 Eternal Journey Jean Rabe March 2009
18 Sacrifice Jon F. Merz May 2009
19 Seeker's Curse Victor Milán July 2009
20 Footprints Jon F. Merz September 2009
21 Paradox Victor Milán November 2009
22 The Spirit Banner Joseph Nassise January 2010
23 Sacred Ground Jon F. Merz March 2010
24 The Bone Conjurer Michele Hauf May 2010
25 Tribal Ways Victor Milán July 2010
26 The Dragon's Mark Joseph Nassise September 2010
27 Phantom Prospect Jon F. Merz November 2010
28 Restless Soul Jean Rabe January 2011
29 False Horizon Jon F. Merz March 2011
30 The Other Crowd Michele Hauf May 2011
31 Tear of the Gods Joseph Nassise July 2011
32 The Oracle's Message Jon F. Merz September 2011
33 Cradle of Solitude Joseph Nassise November 2011
34 Labyrinth Jon F. Merz January 2012
35 Fury's Goddess Jon F. Merz March 2012
36 Magic Lantern Mel Odom May 2012
37 Library of Gold Joseph Nassise July 2012
38 The Matador's Crown Michele Hauf September 2012
39 City of Swords Jean Rabe November 2012
40 The Third Caliph Mel Odom January 2013
41 The Staff of Judea Joseph Nassise March 2013
42 The Vanishing Tribe Joseph Nassise May 2013
43 Clockwork Doomsday Mel Odom July 2013
44 Blood Cursed Michele Hauf September 2013
45 Sunken Pyramid Jean Rabe November 2013
46 Trasure of Lima Joseph Nassise January 2014
47 River of Nightmares Jean Rabe March 2014
48 Grendel's Curse Steven Savile May 2014
49 The Devil's Chord Michele Hauf July 2014
50 Celtic Fire Steven Savile September 2014
51 Pretender's Gambit Mel Odom November 2014
52 Deathmask Steven Savile January 2015
53 Bathed in Blood Joe Nassisse March 2015
54 Day of Atonement Steven Savile May 2015
55 Beneath Still Waters Joe Nassise July 2015
56 The Mortality Principle Steven Savile September 2015
57 Mystic Warrior Mel Odom November 2015

Post-Shutdown Titles (Graphic Audio Exclusives)

Following the shutdown of Gold Eagle Publishing by Harlequin, the primary creator of audiobook adaptions of the franchise, Graphic Audio, acquired the rights to create original, in-house sequels to the novels, available exclusively in a narrated audio drama format.

Series # Title Author(s) Date Released
58 Death Looms[2] Mel Odom December 2017
59 Eyes of the Beholder[3] Scott McCormick/Jillian Levine-Sisson May 2018
60 In the Serpants Tomb[4] Scott McCormick/Jillian Levine-Sisson May 2019

Adaptations

Audiobooks

In January 2007, GraphicAudio began releasing the books in a dramatized audio format, starting at issue #1.

As of February 2016 they have produced the entire series up to Rogue Angel #57 "Mystic Warrior."

Comics

In 2008 IDW Publishing released a miniseries (five issues) written by Barbara Kesel and featuring art by Renae De Liz.[5]

gollark: This is probably an unstable situation and people will demand the world government does more things.
gollark: Suuuure.
gollark: Basically every bureaucracy ever has ended up slowly decaying into a worse one.
gollark: World governance has advantages, but also means that institutional brokenness affects *everyone*.
gollark: I don't agree.

References
  1. http://www.harlequin.com/storeitem.html?iid=49070
  2. https://www.graphicaudio.net/rogue-angel-58-death-looms.html
  3. https://www.graphicaudio.net/rogue-angel-59-eyes-of-the-beholder.html
  4. https://www.graphicaudio.net/rogue-angel-60-in-the-serpent-s-tomb.html
  5. http://www.comicbookbin.com/idwnews006.html 'Comicbook Bin' Jan 31 2008, Best-Selling Intelligent and Alluring Adventure Heroine Gets New Life in Comic Books

Publisher sites

Other resources

Miscellaneous
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