Angelology (novel)
A nun reignites an ancient war between angel scholars and Nephilim.
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Danielle Trussoni’s first novel, *Angelology*, came out in March 2010 from Viking Press. Its plot centers on a New York nun who accidentally reopens a long‑dormant conflict between Angelologists—people who study angels—and the Nephilim, a race born from angels and humans. The book weaves together ancient biblical stories, the Orpheus myth, and the tale of fallen angels.
Key characters include Dr. Raphael Valko, a French professor who in 1943 oversees the removal of a fallen angel’s body from a cave in the Rhodope Mountains, an area linked to Orpheus and Greek mythology. His wife is Seraphina Valko. Evangeline, raised by Franciscan nuns after her father gave her to them, begins to question her faith and looks into her parents’ past as Angelologists. Percival Grigori is a Nephilim antagonist. Verlaine, an art student drawn to Sister Evangeline, helps her find angel‑related artifacts and joins her fight against the Nephilim. Gabriella Lévi-Franche Valko, an Angelologist, shaped history through her actions as a young woman.
The book was represented by Eric Simonoff of Janklow & Nesbit. In early 2009, seven publishers competed for the manuscript, with Viking Press acquiring it for an undisclosed sum; *Publishers Weekly* reported the final offer was well into six figures. Two film studios, Columbia Pictures and Universal Pictures, bid for the movie rights, and Columbia won. Andrea Gianetti and DeVon Franklin, Columbia’s executive producers on *The Da Vinci Code* and *Angels & Demons*, are overseeing the project. Overbrook Entertainment, run by Will Smith and James Lassiter, will co‑produce with director Marc Forster, who will also direct the film.
- type
- Novel
- author
- Danielle Trussoni
- published
- March 2010
- publisher
- Viking Press
- genre
- Historical fantasy, angelology
- notable_for
- First novel; sparked a bidding war among publishers and film studios
Lore & Background
The plot centers on Sister Evangeline, a nun given to Franciscan nuns by her father. After taking vows, she begins to doubt her religion and investigates her parents, who were angelologists. She is aided by Verlaine, an art student smitten with her, who helps find angel-related artifacts and stands beside her against the Nephilim. The villain is Percival Grigori, a Nephilim. The story also includes Dr. Raphael Valko, a French professor who coordinates the extraction of a fallen angel's body from a cave in the Rhodope Mountains in 1943, an area with historical ties to Orpheus and Greek mythology. His wife is Seraphina Valko. Another angelologist, Gabriella Lévi-Franche Valko, as a 21-year-old woman directed the course of history.
Reader's Guide
Angelology gained significant attention before publication. In early 2009, seven publishing houses vied for the manuscript, which eventually went to Viking Press for an undisclosed amount; Publishers Weekly reported the final offer was 'well into six figures'. Two motion picture studios, Columbia Pictures and Universal Pictures, bid against each other for the film rights, with Columbia winning. Andrea Gianetti and DeVon Franklin, Columbia's executive producers on The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons, oversee the project. Will Smith and James Lassiter's Overbrook Entertainment will co-produce with director Marc Forster, who will also direct. The novel's blend of biblical lore, Greek myth, and a contemporary setting helped drive this cross-industry interest.
Did You Know?
- The novel was agented by Eric Simonoff, then at Janklow & Nesbit.
- Seven publishing houses competed for the manuscript in early 2009.
- Columbia Pictures won a bidding war against Universal Pictures for the film rights.
- The excavation of a fallen angel's body in the novel is set in the Rhodope Mountains, an area tied to Orpheus and Greek mythology.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Angelology (novel)?
Angelology is a historical fantasy novel by Danielle Trussoni, released in March 2010 by Viking Press. It merges biblical lore, Greek myth, and a modern New York setting to explore a conflict between angelic beings and their human-angel hybrid offspring.
Who wrote Angelology and when was it published?
Danielle Trussoni penned the book, and Viking Press put it out in March 2010. It was her debut novel and reportedly drew competing bids from multiple publishers and film studios before it even hit shelves.
What is the main plot of Angelology?
A nun in New York accidentally rekindles a centuries-old war between Angelologists—scholars devoted to the study of angels—and the Nephilim, the hybrid race born from angel-human unions. The narrative also braids in the Orpheus legend and the broader story of fallen angels.
Who are the key characters in Angelology?
Dr. Raphael Valko, a French professor, anchors a 1943 storyline in which he supervises the extraction of a fallen angel's remains from a cave in the Rhodope Mountains, a region tied to the Orpheus myth. His wife Seraphina is another central figure whose arc runs through the novel.
Why is Angelology (novel) notable in fan circles?
As Trussoni's first published work, it carved out a niche in the angelic-fantasy space by framing angelic conflict through an academic, scholarly lens rather than pure action. Its success in attracting both publishing and Hollywood interest helped establish the author's brand and set the stage for her subsequent novels.
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