Where Angels Fear (novel)

Where Angels Fear was the seventy-eighth Virgin New Adventures novel. It featured a return of Clarence (who was depicted on the cover) and the start of the "Dellah Gods" arc.

Publisher's summary
"Do you believe?"

Something very odd is happening on the cosmopolitan planet of Dellah, home to Bernice Summerfield, famed archaeologist, adventurer, raconteur and barfly. A long-ignored religion is rapidly gaining recruits. The faithful rejoice and talk of their God walking the land once more. And in secret rooms on campus, arcane arts are practised with dangerously successful results.

Behind these seeming absurdities, something far darker is going on, something that has consequences for everyone. The most powerful races of the universe are running scared, withdrawing to their own strongholds, and leaving the lesser races to their fate.

But what can have warped reality in this way? And why? Or has the time of the gods finally come? As Bernice and her friends begin to investigate, they soon realise that in the terrible conflict to come each of them will have to choose sides.

Chapter titles

 * Prologue
 * 1) Questions Raised
 * 2) A Day in the Life
 * 3) The Many-Coloured Valley
 * 4) It's Fun Finding Out About Cults
 * 5) War, War is Stupid
 * 6) Light and Shade
 * 7) Flight Begets Understanding
 * 8) New Deals
 * 9) Departures
 * 10) Perfect Victims
 * 11) We Meet Again
 * 12) Deus Ex Machina
 * Epilogue

Plot
to be added

Characters

 * Bernice Summerfield
 * Irving Braxiatel
 * Shemda
 * Renée Thalia
 * James Harker
 * John
 * Emile Mars-Smith
 * Elspeth
 * Clarence
 * God
 * B-Aaron
 * SaRa!qava
 * Maa'lon

Groups

 * B-Aaron is a member of the Apocalyptic Religions Interest Group.

Individuals

 * The Maa'lons' religious code forbids the wearing of footwear because it disconnects them with the godly earth. As such, Benny is forced to take her shoes off and walk around barefoot most of the time in this novel, causing her much discomfort and injury. She also sprains an ankle trying to jump down a hole because she lacks shoes to cushion her fall.
 * As a result of a skimmer crash Benny shatters an ankle and crushes both her feet. They are later bandaged to aid her healing, but she writes that her swollen ankle looks like a boiled egg someone tried to open with a sledgehammer.
 * Benny befriends Shemda, a member of the Grel.
 * Following a brush with a firing squad, Renée Thalia's breasts touching Irving Braxiatel's naked chest (he was tied to a post in the open air) make him feel human for a few moments.
 * James Harker goes on a murderous rampage late in the novel. He also thinks about killing Bernice.
 * John is Benny's chain cigarette smoking informant. He gets squeezed to death (his eyes pop out).
 * Emile Mars-Smith dies, but, before his death, makes a demonic pact with an imp.
 * Clarence sweeps in and saves Bernice at the last moment.
 * God used Benny's presence on Dellah to keep an eye on the god situation.
 * B-Aaron is a Very Aggressive Ship, and was a friend of !Ci!ci-tel and WiRgo!xu.
 * SaRa!qava is still in male form and still has feelings for Bernice.

Locations

 * SaRa!qava still lives in iSanti Jeni.

Species

 * The Grel consider Benny a "fact catalyst" and seek her out to discover what exactly is happening on Dellah.
 * The People recall all their agents to the Worldsphere, as do the Time Lords to Gallifrey (Gallifrey and the Time Lords go unnamed but are vigorously implied).
 * John has two hearts but is not a Time Lord.

Planets

 * A murdering policeman comes from Tyler's Folly.

Religion

 * James Harker is a priest in the Church of Maa'lon.
 * James Harker meets Maa'lon (or something doing a very good impression).

Vehicles

 * Irving Braxiatel has his "craft" recalled by "his people".

Continuity

 * The concept of the People imprisoning their foes inside planets was introduced in PROSE: Down.
 * Emile Mars-Smith last appeared in PROSE: Deadfall.
 * John (Benny's chain smoking informant) appeared previously in PROSE: Another Girl, Another Planet.
 * A student at St Oscar's is Oolian. (PROSE: Original Sin)