With the apocalyptic 2012 looming in the future, you cannot help but wonder what is really going to happen. Instead of Mayan myths and government conspiracies, Robert Kroese offers angels, a jaded reporter, and a crazed billionaire in his latest novel, “Mercury Rises,” out now.

Mercury, a rogue cherub, and reporter Christine Temetri team up once again to save the world after having just thwarted a previous attempt at destruction. Horace Finch, billionaire extraordinaire who also happens to be a little unhinged, wants to use an anti-bomb to discover the secrets of the Universe and control it—even risking the Universe to do it. Jacob Slater, an FBI “forensic explosive investigator,” is part of a team trying to figure out what really happened at the Anaheim Event. What he finds inevitably draws him to cross paths with Finch, Christine, and Mercury. 

Despite the fact that “Mercury Rises” is the sequel to “Mercury Falls,” released in 2009, Kroese successfully updates the reader in the first couple chapters on everything they need to know to follow the story without having to read the first novel. The story picks up where the last one left off, when the Anaheim Stadium imploded due to a supernatural device.

Kroese expertly weaves together the separate stories of Christine, Jacob, Finch, and Mercury’s past (circa 2000 B.C.) into one sarcasm-and-wit filled journey. He throws in cherubs, seraphs and angels from Heaven, a political and hierarchical society complete with an Apocalypse Bureau, and tops it off with demons and demonesses, agents of Hell and Satan, whose battle collides and coincides on earth, appropriately referred to as the “Mundane Plane.”

Because it is a sequel, it can still be difficult to keep track of who’s who in the inter-planar worlds. Kroese organizes the novel by separating characters by chapter. Keeping each chapter focused on a specific character and their situation helps tremendously in keeping things straight. However, Kroese also introduces a minor character, Eddie Pratt, a demon, to the plot. His role seems insignificant but is consistent, which can be confusing when trying to figure out what the point of his character is. You do not realize until the very end that his presence is more of a foundation for his character in the next book, which is almost certain to happen. 

The beginning of the book tends to fall on the static side. There is not that much of a convergence of characters and it becomes dull. Mercury’s presence is also a little bit of an anomaly. His story is told in the way past, giving the reader some history and background, but there is suddenly a complete 180 degree turn and he is now in the midst of the present. Questions like “Where has he been up until now?” and “What has he been doing?” arise with no concrete explanations. 

However, Kroese imbues his sharp wit and irony into the story, staying true to his artistic style, and successfully revives even the boring parts. The entire novel is central to the humorous tone surrounding the severity of the world imploding upon itself. “Mercury Rises” is a refreshing and imaginative read, putting a twist on conventional ideas of rosy-cheeked cherubs and apocalypse theories. 

A subtle redemptive quality is present at the end of the book. Mercury, though still an angel, does not take very well to following orders, which often puts him in hot waters with his superiors. Although guided by his own moral compass, his actions are often criticized by the higher powers that be. In the end, Mercury makes the ultimate sacrifice to save the Mundane Plane, an action that resonates that both can and should be saved. 

 

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