Series: Guild Hunter, Book 12
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy
Release Date: September 24, 2019
Source: Publisher
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Nalini Singh Reading Order
Wings of silver. Wings of blue. Mortal heart. Broken dreams. Shatter. Shatter. Shatter. A sundering. A grave. I see the end. I see…
The world is in chaos as the power surge of the Cascade rises to a devastating crescendo. In furiously resisting its attempts to turn Elena into a vessel for Raphael’s power, Elena and her archangel are irrevocably changed…far beyond the prophecy of a cursed Ancient.
At the same time, violent and eerie events around the world threaten to wipe out entire populations. And in the Archangel Lijuan’s former territory, an unnatural fog weaves through the land, leaving only a bone-chilling silence in its wake. Soon it becomes clear that even the archangels are not immune to this deadly evil. This time, even the combined power of the Cadre may not be enough…
The Cascade has reached its peak and the final battle is here in Archangel’s War. At the heart of it all is the Archangel Raphael and his angel-made consort, Elena Deveraux. Everything in the previous eleven Guild Hunter novels has led to this: a battle for the world’s survival waged against a seemingly invincible enemy – Lijuan, the Archangel of Death.
If you’ve read Archangel’s Prophecy (and you absolutely should before starting this book), then you know that the events in that story changed Raphael and Elena. How, I cannot say without spoiling the book. Unfortunately, there’s a lot in this book I cannot write about without spoiling it. I will say that I enjoyed watching the build up to battle, seeing Elena and Raphael discover what the Cascade has done to them now and how they might use it against Lijuan. And make no mistake, Lijuan is coming. Her power is dark and cruel, fascinating to read about in its horror. The Cadre alone may not be enough to stop her, even with all their Cascade-born talents.
Archangel’s War brings all the major players in and I enjoyed their interactions. Nalini Singh has created a vast and varied cast of characters and all of their personalities are unique and well-defined. It brings depth to this world and is a consistency that’s much needed when the Cascade plays havoc with the rules of power and change. Everyone has a role to play and fans of the series will undoubtedly be delighted that most of the past heroes and heroines get some page time in this story.
About a third of Archangel’s War is devoted to battle scenes and how much you enjoy this will depend on personal taste. I don’t personally love long, drawn-out battles – even though the action keeps moving – but for Ms. Singh to do any less would be a disservice to the characters and the threat she has been building over the course of the series. At times I felt like things got repetitive, but again, I could understand the logic of it. I did feel like a few things were rushed at the end regarding supporting characters new and old (again, spoilers so I apologize for the vagueness), but I hope to see these plot points played out in future books. And while the stakes have never been higher, I never really felt the tension. Never felt that the characters I loved most were in danger, a direct contrast to how I felt reading Archangel’s Prophecy. This is a pity, but I definitely don’t want to indicate that I didn’t like the war sections of this book. Even though they’re not my personal favorite and I had some niggling issues, Ms. Singh’s writing never fails to suck me in.
Archangel’s War is a satisfying ending to a complex storyline that has spanned twelve books. I always enjoy time spent with Elena, Raphael, and their loved ones, and this time was no exception. Now, with the war over, I cannot wait to see where Ms. Singh takes the Guild Hunter series next.
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
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