The Immortals have faced the Gauntlet and the Menace, and earned the right to decide their future. But when what is right conflicts with what is ordered, will the Blademasters accept their decision, or will they be forbidden to enter the Gates ever again? As the threat of the Soul Chamber looms and the parents of the Lethen’al emerge from the shadows, the Pride reaches the lost city of Raqui. Can … lost city of Raqui. Can they save the children from slaughter, and what will it cost them?
Sensing the chaos, the Lo’ademn begin to rise and the shrulks mass within the pass. Will the Immortals be able to stand against the ire of their kin and hold against the peril of the Chamber?
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It is during times of significant trial that one experiences growth and development far beyond that achieved by luxury or effort.
Themes of endurance and resilience and the survival of the fittest are explored in depth in this sequel to ‘Gates of Golorath’. (link) ‘Angels of Perdition’ is a saga focused on Arielle and Angus, characters from the previous book who begin a new phase of their lives in this next instalment in the series. The cast of characters and the incredibly complex world established in the first book are continued in the second, but because they are already familiar to the reader, it feels as much like a reunion as it does a continuation. The banter and interactions between various characters are highly engaging and draws the reader deeper into the story as the action and drama build.
The story is really well told and expertly paced. The writing is infused with energy and rich imagery that really makes the scenes and characters come to life in the reader’s mind. The action scenes are well developed with excellent attention to detail.
This is a captivating and quite inspiring read that holds definite appeal to readers of epic fantasy, particularly those who want to discover sophisticated worlds and complex societies with a rich history and a future to fight for. It is a captivating and quite inspiring read.
Garino comes back stronger in book #2. Yes, I loved Gates, but I adore Angels. Now that we have the characters and the world building settled, the bonds between teammates are truly tested to the breaking point. And some do break.
While Angus and Ariel get closer, and the differences between them grow more obvious, this never degenerates into a sloppy love-romance storyline but a friendship-love-comrade story. This I greatly appreciate.
Garino writes High Fantasy and he does it well, but you have to give something with this much complexity time to be understood and absorbed. An engrossing read from start to end.
Suspense and chaos.
There are a lot of fights in this story, both physical and emotional as the characters that we were introduced to in book one must fight to keep their futures safe. Arielle and Angus have to really come into their own in this story, doing what they can to try and be doing despite Arielle being fated to marry another angel.
Overall, the author does a fantastic job of worldbuilding, creating characters and places that are written with flowing imagery. The characterization is especially well done with the emphasis on character flaws throughout the piece. Plenty of questions I had from book one were answered, but this story left me with a few new ones. I’ll be keeping my eye out for the next book in the series.
So much pain and emotions in this story. The pain goes beyond what the characters get when fighting–and there are plenty of battles to keep you reading. This is emotional pain–from loss, from new understandings, and so much more. The characters have changed, grown with the trials that they’ve suffered. As Arielle and Angus learn, their childhoods–as well as the childhoods of the others–are gone and the seriousness of their future is at stake. You’ll be heartbroken at the end when you discover what “the Elder” telling the story has been hinting at that changed Arielle. But you’ll have to wait until the next book to discover exactly what this means for her.
What you’ll get in this book: Lots and lots of exciting events; more in-depth understanding of the world Arielle, Angus, and their friends live in; well-written prose that immerses you in the story; and hours and hours of entertainment that will sweep you away into a world of “angels” and “demons” like one you’ve never experienced before.