CRK’s “The Angel’s Curse”, the first volume in the ZCN/TIES series, is an imaginative novel in the same vein as “Good Omens”. What begins as a seemingly straightforward adventure story about twelve-year-old Zena Nena—also known as Vessel of the Angel of Battle (AOB)—soon turns into an epic investigation into a mysterious shadow creeping across Imaginationville (I*V)—and a dangerous fight against the evil Volea Villain. So, not exactly your everyday problem.
The novel opens in Wonder Prairie, where Zena lives in relative isolation with her sardonic penguin companion, Guinnie. Their relationship immediately establishes the book’s tonal complexity—moments of genuine humor punctuated by more serious themes. “Guinnie… tossed her precious can of tuna on my head. The impact immediately smacked the dreams right out of my head,” Zena narrates, capturing the blend between the comic and the epic that pervades the novel.
Zena’s mission begins when she investigates a new corrupted zone at the northern edge of I*V, nicknamed “Villainville.” The landscape itself becomes a character, described in vivid, unsettling detail: the land is “snatched up, severed, and sapped of life until all that remained was crusty, brown particles.” Within this wasteland, Zena discovers the AOB (Angel of Battle), her guardian and mentor, who has been silently maintaining the seal imprisoning the Legendary Villains for centuries. But the figure she encounters is not the invincible protector she remembers.
The prose carries a slightly odd but very readable style. CRK writes with the clarity of children’s literature but allows darkness and deep concepts to seep through the cracks. When Zena describes her penguin companion Guinnie tossing a tuna can at her head, the moment reads as both slapstick and metaphor. CRK’s world-building serves the characters’ story rather than dominating it. Imaginationville feels lived-in and considered carefully, and the corrupted zone called “Villainville” works as both literal threat and metaphor. The landscape descriptions—”snatched up, severed, and sapped of life until all that remained was crusty, brown particles”—are generally well-done and double as descriptions of psychological devastation.
CRK writes with a sharp memory for the emotional intensity of early adolescence, especially the isolation that can come with it. The Angel’s Curse doesn’t soften its subject matter or use fantasy to distract from real issues. Instead, it uses the tools of speculative fiction to expose the internal logic of its characters’ pain. The magic in the story isn’t a solution but a lens: a way of making emotional experiences concrete without simplifying them. Rather than offering escape, the novel insists on honesty. This is a great attitude to have when writing for younger readers, which this book mostly is. Also, according to the final author’s note, many of the books’ events are based on their own life. “Gunnie is real!” we are informed.
The reason you’ll probably want to read The Angel’s Curse comes not from the scale of its magic, although there is plenty, but from the precision of its relatable characters and psychological insight. It understands that damage often comes from people in positions of care and authority, and it doesn’t flinch from showing how complicated that can be. CRK is less interested in grand fantasy stakes than in the personal cost of survival. When Zena pleads with her mentor, “You said you needed my help! And you were in danger!”, it’s a moment that perfectly captures the confusion and pain of being manipulated by someone you trusted.
CRK has written an imaginative book that respects both the intelligence of young readers and the complexity of growing up. “The Angel’s Curse” doesn’t offer answers for everything, but it provides something more valuable—recognition that the struggles are real and the choice to continue fighting them matters. “The Angel’s Curse” is essential reading for anyone who enjoys fantasy literature that actually has creative ideas, young adult fiction that doesn’t shy away from difficult truths, or simply stories that remind us of the transformative power of refusing to surrender to despair.
You can get your copy of “ZCN & Friends: Adventures In I*V” here!
