Angelus

The final book in Benulis’s Books of Raziel Gothic paranormal fantasy trilogy (after Covenant) concludes the struggle between the denizens of heaven and hell, also settling the fate of those stuck in between in the city of Luz. Angela Mathers, the human Archon destined to save the world from Lucifel, continues to reign in hell even though she’s lost her memory. It’s up to her friends to help her fulfill her destiny and open the Book of Raziel, thereby saving the world. Thwarted at almost every turn by both the forces of good and evil, Angela faces an almost impossible task—but one that she has no choice but to complete, one way or another. With exaggerated and overblown dark sensibilities, the book reads like an out-of-control roller-coaster, filled with teetering highs and deep lows. The very strong reliance on the previous two books requires that the series be read in order—readers who start here will be lost. The richly detailed cosmology supports the characterization well, but the sheer volume of detail and explanation quickly becomes overwhelming. [em](Feb.) [/em]