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    The Trial of Fallen Angels
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    The Trial of Fallen Angels
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    The Trial of Fallen Angels
    Audiobook11 hours

    The Trial of Fallen Angels

    Written by James Kimmel Jr.

    Narrated by Thérèse Plummer

    3.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    Brek Cuttler has it all: a husband she loves, a daughter she adores, a successful law practice. And then one day everything she has ever known disappears. Brek finds herself standing on a deserted train platform, covered in blood. As she tries to comprehend what is happening to her, a man from her past approaches and explains that she has been chosen to join the elite team of lawyers charged with prosecuting and defending souls at the Final Judgment.


    As Brek struggles to find her way back to her husband and daughter, she will discover that her first client holds the shocking secret of her fate. That seemingly disparate events during her life have conspired to bring her to a single moment in time that will determine her eternity. And that every act of kindness and cruelty sets in motion things beyond our wildest imaginations.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateNov 8, 2012
    ISBN9781101579565
    Unavailable
    The Trial of Fallen Angels
    Author

    James Kimmel Jr.

    James Kimmel, Jr., received a doctorate in jurisprudence from the University of Pennsylvania and is a lawyer who focuses on the intersection of law and spirituality. This is his first novel.

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    Reviews for The Trial of Fallen Angels

    3.5/5

    20 ratings20 reviews

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    • 3/5
      This allegory opens with Brek Cuttler having arrived in Shemaya, a place where the deceased learn to give up the life they once led before entering Heaven. The young attorney, also a wife and mother of an infant, discovers that she is covered with blood as the result of the bullet holes and no memory of what happened. After a period of adjustment in familiar surroundings of her own creation, she learns that she is to join an elite group of attorneys who prosecute and defend souls at the Final Judgment. Initially, she has to learn how to tap into the memories of those she will be defending without losing herself. An advocate for justice, she is alarmed that judgment is being rendered before all life evidence is presented. As she begins to hear each case, she discovers relationships between them, which leads her to the discovery of the situation surrounding her own death.

      If you were a fan of The Shack, you will enjoy this novel written by an attorney who focuses on law and spirituality. I thought The Shack was burdened down by the theology that it attempted to cram between the covers, a problem that this novel overcame. Essentially, this novel deals with theological concepts of justice and forgiveness in an entertaining and thought-provoking manner.
    • 3/5
      I enjoyed this book. I like a book which surprises me with a good plot twist and this one certainly has that. Overall a good read. This is a book which leaves you with the age old question in your mind of "what if?". Does every event in our lives have an affect on what hapens in the after life? You may find some answers to that question here. This book is very well written and flows smoothly. I look forward to reading more from James P. Kimmel Jr. Well done!!!]
    • 4/5
      I wasn't sure I'd like this book with the afterlife setting and surreal elements. But it ended up as a favorite. I enjoyed the historic facts and the way the characters lives intersected and/or were affected by the others. It really made me consider my beliefs on "justice" and "forgiveness" and how a person could be both "good" and "evil" and how one persons actions impact someone else's life/personality. Would recommend it to fans of "The Shack".
    • 4/5
      The Trial of Fallen Angels is part science fiction, part speculative fiction, but mostly parable. The main character (and narrator), Brek Cuttler, is a young attorney who dies in an automobile accident and finds herself in a unique version of heaven, where she is assigned the role of defense attorney for souls scheduled for their Last Judgment. There is no Appeals Court, but many souls return to the Courtroom over and over, presumably until they get it right.Brek is an idealist, a seeker after Justice with a capital J. Early in the narrative, she is advised, “There is only one question to be answered during the Final Judgment of every human soul, and it is the same question that concerned God before the Great Flood: what does justice demand?” This sets the scene for the primary moral of the story.Kimmel makes fast and loose with Scripture, including an imaginative re-telling of the Old Testament creation story. But unlike some 1950s bibles, which substitute the editor’s personal beliefs for any legitimate translated version of the text, Kimmel seems to be saying, “Why not look at it this way?” The results are interesting and thought-provoking.The Trial of Fallen Angels invites us to ruminate any number of weighty philosophical issues. For starters: “You cannot experience that which is Love until you first know that which is Not Love. Therefore must you separate yourself from Love and enter the realm of Fear and Evil.” There’s also the proposition that human beings are co-creators with God and that a violent act inspired by jealousy or fear is a search for justice. Kimmel explores, as well, the roles of justice and forgiveness in shaping our characters and our society, the burden of responsibility for one’s choices, and finally: Is justice just revenge in a nice dress?For the most part, Kimmel gets it right—not too preachy, a fair amount of page-turning suspense, and an enormous bite of deep thought. The story did not immediately engage me; I was restless for the action to begin. For me, that occurred some 100 pages in, when Nero’s soul is presented to the Court. I was not prepared for such a complex philosophical challenge, and, until late in the book, I remained the victim of my first impression—that The Trial of Angels was a simplistic New-Age imagining of heaven with a transparent moral. The way it revisited my thoughts over the following weeks brought me to the realization that this is the sort of book that will survive many readings, with each reading revealing another layer of meaning.
    • 5/5
      The Trial Of Fallen AngelsByJames Kimmel Jr.My "in a nutshell" summary...Justice in the afterlife...what do we really believe...miracles? an afterlife? heaven?My thoughts after reading this book...When I first started reading this book I thought of The Lovely Bones...just a little bit. And...after reading this book and thinking about it...i think that it is sort of a spiritual fantasy. My idea of this book is this...you know from the start that Brek is not alive any more...she was a lawyer, a mom, and a wife on her way home from work...we find her at Shemaya Station wondering about the odd spots on her favorite bargain suit. The book is a tale of discovery as Brek relives what happened to her and what she will be doing in her role as attorney for the souls who come to Shemaya Station. Brek first meets Luas...who seems to look like someone she knows...and then her great grandmother as her voyage there begins. Luas appears to be the head attorney and explainer to Brek without giving her too much information.This is such a book of discovery that I really am not able to tell you much about what happened. I found this book to be sort of comforting. You die however you die and you immediately begin a new adventure...not a life but sort of little episodes of understanding that either open your heart or forever close it. The book was about forgiveness and when you read the author's story you will truly understand why. There is history in this book interwoven with stories and sadness and compassion and hatred and meandering back to forgiveness or something like a ...seeing the light kind of experience. At Shemaya Station you see souls and you see what you are ready to see. Brek was happy and sad and finally accepting of her destiny. What I loved about this book...The author weaves a stark yet beautiful story. I want to believe that there is a Shemaya Station where the baddest of the bad can find forgiveness. And yet this book was sad...everyone I met was dead...as happy as they can be...they were still no longer living. What I did not love...This will just be me...I know it was so much a part of the story but the sad horrific things people do...broke my heart. I had to think about this for a long time.Final thoughts...Do not think this is a Lovely Bones kind of story. It is so very different. If you are looking for an enlightening story with reality and hope and a bit of fantasy tossed in...you will find it in this book.Sent from my iPad2 by Patty!!!
    • 4/5
      I thought this book moved slow at times, especially in the beginning. However, the author showed quite a bit of creativity in this story and the moral questions it raises are fascinating. It is always interesting to see how someone portrays the afterlife. I was a little worried this book would be heavy on religious lessons, but it was not presented that way. The main character, Brek, is not very likeable but that really is beside the point in this story. This book was worth reading simply because of the fact that I will be thinking about the questions this story raises about justice long after I forget about the rest of the story.
    • 3/5
      I enjoyed this book about the afterlife and forgiveness very much. I have to say in the middle I got a little confused trying to keep all the characters straight, but the end touched me. I would like to re-read this book and spend a little bit of extra time tracking the characters and how they are all related in order to have the novel bring more meaning for me.
    • 3/5
      An interesting take on the afterlife. Brek's death is seen as "coming back home" and she is eventually chosen to be a lawyer of the dead. This book is written in first person and fairly heavy and slow. It's one of those books that is in no rush to get to the end and would rather have the reader enjoy the ride.I thought Brek was a well-rounded character. Kimmel did a great job of not letting Brek's disability define her character and yet still have clear influence on her life. It was a very interesting idea to have a courtroom in heaven (or limbo, really?). However, the other characters, in contrast, bored me. The dead clients were more interesting. Luas was a mentor but he was completely defined by that role. He did not feel like anything more than a plot device to explain what happens. As others have mentioned, this book is a lot more spiritual than I thought it would be. You'd think a courtroom would spice things up a bit. However, I was a bit disappointed to see that it wasn't really as cool as I hoped. It's like reading the Bible all over again, contradictions abound! The point of heaven's lawyers was to present the dead to God for the final judgement. However, it's been stressed many times that God is the supreme law and he doesn't need any help from the lawyers to decide justice. So, for example, it's perfectly fine for one of the lawyers to show all the bad qualities of a client. Justice will still somehow be served correctly. SO WHAT'S THE POINT OF LAWYERS THEN? There were also a few inaccuracies. If I remember correctly, you are not allowed to show the extent of injury to the jury. That would influence their decision and cause a possibly wrong verdict. For example, Brek's stump was shown to the courtroom somehow without any objection. If demonstrated that way, the jury would be more sympathetic to (in this case) the plaintiff. Overall, the book was interesting. However, it simply isn't my "cup of tea." It's too spiritual for me and I felt like the author's message was being crammed into my throat. For the readers out there looking for a deeply religious book, this might be your thing. For those seeking a quick easy to read novel, this ain't it. Young readers are not advised to read this book. Let's just say Kimmel get's pretty descriptive of exactly how Brek lost her arm.Won in a giveaway in return for an honest review
    • 4/5
      Brek is going about her day to day life when she suddenly ends up in a train station. She tries to convince herself she is dreaming or very ill, but eventually comes to grips with the fact that she is in fact dead. Brek is the newest lawyer to present the dead to God. Can she fairly represent those who face their final judgement? I thought the subject matter of this book was very thought provoking. It emphasized to me that there are two sides to every person, every story. I truly enjoyed this book, but it was pretty heavy, not the book you want if you just want something quick and fun. If you want something that will make you think, this would be a good book to pick up!
    • 3/5
      I enjoy books with a different spin on life and as in this case death. Brek Cuttler learns that both justice and forgiveness doesn't stop at death. Since Brek was a lawyer in life she has been chosen to join an elite team of lawyers charged with prosecuting and defending souls at the Final Judgement. Check this book out if you are looking for something different to read.
    • 3/5
      The Trial of Fallen Angels is James Kimmel Jr.'s first fiction book.Brek Cuttler awakes in a train station. She's sitting on a bench in her favourite 'power lawyer' suit. The station is deserted. Her suit is covered in blood. She is sure she is dreaming when a man comes along and welcomes her to Shemaya. She struggles to remember who she is and what she was doing before she arrived at this station. Inevitability, she discover that the man Luas is right - she is dead. And she has a job to do in Shemaya...."You don't think God would allow souls to face the Final Judgment alone, do you? Even murderers on earth have a lawyer to represent them, and the outcomes of those trials are only temporary. The stakes are higher here, dear. All of eternity." As Brek begins presenting the memories of the dead, she begins to realize that the acts and events of each person have also played a part in her own life and are part of her own final choice and presentation.Kimmel explores the themes of justice and forgiveness in The Trial of Fallen Angels with a keen eye and much thought. Kimmel has presented his philosophical viewpoints cloaked in a mystery. When this book was pitched to me for review, I wasn't fully aware of how much emphasis was placed on spirituality. I felt that the characters were used only a vehicle to carry the message, so I never really bought into Brek. As God is the Judge, this is somewhat limiting for believers of other faiths or non believers, although I do think Kimmel's views are extremely intriguing and applicable to anyone. So while it was an interesting read, I did find it slow in parts and ended up skimming by the end to get to the conclusion. Kimmell "is a lawyer and advocate who focuses on the intersections of law and spirituality and law and psychology."The Trial of Fallen Angels would be an excellent selection for a book club, sure to engender lots of discussion.
    • 4/5
      Brek Cuttler has it all - a high paying, high profile job as an attorney, a handsome tv reporter husband and a new baby. She is happy, she is loved and she has just died. When she comes to in a train station she is approached by her grandmother who is tries to calm Brek and smooth the transition into Shemaya. God has a plan for Brek and she is asked to join an elite group of lawyers who represent souls as they are presented on Judgement day. The book flips between stories of the souls that Brek has sat in on to learn before she is given her first case and her own memories of what happened before she died. The book will make you think about justice, redemption and faith. The twists of Brek's story and how it all comes together in the end is magical. I can see book clubs picking this spectacular debut by James P. Kimmel.
    • 2/5
      I found this book to be hard to read...as if the author had strived too much. The names were difficult to relate to. Although it started well and the premise was good, it was a long slog to get through it. I have to say I especially liked the author's note at the back of the book and all his good intentions. I just don't feel this story delivered. Sorry.
    • 4/5
      I've got a soft spot for life-after-death books, and this is a thoughtfully complex and challenging story. Brek Cutler is a young lawyer with the dream life: a loving husband, a baby daughter who is the light of her life, and a successful law practice. One day her world suddenly disappears and she is standing on a train platform, alone and bloody. A strange man appears and, with the help of her long-departed Nana, she comes to understand that she has been killed, and has been chosen as one of the lawyers who present souls for the Final Judgement. Brek struggles throughout the story to reunite with her husband and daughter, and learn how she came to be here. We see several trials of Souls, including that of Noah of the Flood, and come to realize at about the same time as Brek that Justice and Vengeance, Love and Forgiveness, often resemble each other and are confused, and that the Christian ideal of these concepts is hard and demanding, and often beyond the capacity of mere mortal man. Not the most accessible of the life-after-death books I've read, but one of the most rewarding.
    • 4/5
      When young mother, Brek, dies her spirit goes on an educational tour of the afterlife. She sees how things are never as they appear and how where there is justice, there is hate. This is a thought provoking book, appropriate for all religions. Would be a conversation starter for a book group. The author is an attorney with an interest in the intersection of spirituality and law.The "Author's Notes" provided at the end would make a great memoir in itself.
    • 3/5
      There is so much the author seems to be trying to accomplish in this book that at times, I felt a bit lost. As, of course, is the main character as she tries to make the transition between life and death. As with such a story, there are numerous themes addressed – none of them small or unimportant. Life, death, justice, retribution, forgiveness, love, loss, grief…the list goes on.The concept of an afterlife judicial system is an interesting one, especially as it takes place in a modern framework. Not at the pearly gates, but in a governmental type building, with offices and lawyers.“We do not deal here with bodhisattvas or saints, caitiffs or fiends. The conclusions for them are foregone, the judgments obvious and unassailable. Our concern in the Courtroom is for the rest of humanity – the good people who sometimes cheat, the bad who sometimes do good, the billions who fail to sacrifice everything to become priests or prophets but resisted the temptation to become demons or demigods.”The main character, Brek Cuttler, travels a long road beyond her life. She grieves for those she left behind, and goes through periods of denial and does her best to delay the inevitable. She explores, as she is able, this new form of her existence. She is able to experience all that the world she knew has to offer – mountains, the North and South Poles, villas, casinos, beaches and deserts. But…“…I was alone everywhere I went – on the beaches, in the villas, on the planes, in the casinos. I had nobody to share my good fortune with or even to envy me from afar. I imagined that this must be how God felt before creating humanity. Could there be any greater sorrow in all the universe than having all of this and no one to share it with? As I traveled alone from one wonder of the world to another, from ocean to desert to mountain, I came to understand why God would have been willing to risk everything – even rejection, suffering and war, as Luas had said – for the joy of hearing just one breathless human being say, “Oh my God…look at that!”And this book is all about that – the idea that we are nothing without others. Without anyone to love or be loved by, to laugh with, to feel grief for, to talk to, to learn from…life is empty. And it is our interaction with others that define who we are, who we have chosen to be and how we will be judged. By ourselves, by other humans…and possibly by a creator.This is a book about the choices we make. Not only those in our own lives, but in regards to the lives of others. What we forgive and whether we are forgiven. How the smallest (and largest) of our actions alter our paths and create our destiny.
    • 5/5
      After I read the first couple of chapters I couldn't put it down. It is a well written book. James Kimmel Jr. did a excellant job writing this novel for being his first. Is justice better than forgiveness was one of the big questions. Brek did not like the way justice was bieng done in the afterlife. I will recomended this book to my family and friends.
    • 3/5
      I don't know if I liked this book. It was different than I expected. From the book description, I expected more emphasis on the main character's experiences, I guess. Although the book did spend some time with her, her "afterlife" was very disjointed. It was difficult to figure out what was going on sometimes. In the story, you follow the lives of the main character's distant relatives, and ultimately the men who killed her. The book is spiritual, but not overtly religious. Mostly, it was just very sad.
    • 5/5
      Wow! This book blew me away. It was quite the mind bender and it has taken me several days to settle down enough to review it. This would be an excellent book club discussion as I am sure many of the concepts and people in the book would provide excellent fodder for discussion.The book raises many questions about the concept of justice. Is justice better or forgiveness? Does our legal system really provide justice? Who must fogive? The issues are highlighted as Brek, recently departed is in the afterlife and becomes an attorney for the deceased. She must first watch some other trails, but they are of individuals that have had an known or unknown impact in some way on her own life. Brek is somewhat angry about the way that the cases are presented for trial feeling only one side of the individuals lives are presented. But what happens when you must put someone on trial who has hurt you or your family? Do you feel the same way about justice then?Without giving away the story line, my recommendation is just read it! It a well written book that raises a lot of excellent questions.Reader received a complimentary copy from Library Thing Early Reviewers Program. flag
    • 3/5
      Usually I say a book is better than the movie, however I think that this would be a great movie. I believe it would come across better visually than written. The first 100 pages I was very frustrated with the story jumping around and with the new characters being introduced. Otherwise the story was interesting, once I moved beyond the first 100 pages I became engrossed in the book. The ending was surprising. I'm medium/luke warm on this book