Brother Half Angel

[Tracy Krauss]

a review of the book by Martin Roth

American missionaries are in China, working at a Bible College that fronts as an English school. Their presence is not agreeable to many in the town, including an ancient martial arts sect known as the ‘Flower Boxers’. The story actually begins with a massacre of some missionaries almost a century earlier, carried out by the same sect. The grandson of one of the martyrs is now working at the school, feeling it is his mission to carry on the work that his grandmother did before him. His wife isn’t quite as enthusiastic. Simultaneously we are introduced to a Christian mercenary of sorts, called Brother Half Angel. Sponsored by a church in Korea, his specialty is rescuing members of the persecuted church, sometimes using unorthodox and even violent methods. Eventually, he comes to help the group in China defend themselves against the Flower Boxers.

The story was interesting from an historical point of view and it was well written. Sometimes I wasn’t sure whose story it really was, however - the American missionaries or Brother Half Angel himself. Brother Half Angel is a very intriguing character and I felt like I would have liked to see the story focus more on him, rather than just have him ride in near the end and save the day. Apparently this is the first in a series featuring Brother Half Angel, though, so he might be more central in the next book.