Oh god, this pains me to write... but I was pretty disappointed by this book. I had SUCH high hopes, but I am once again put off by creative decisions like I was in book four (Death) of the original series.
This book is generally well-written, and it's great to step back into this world again. But my major issue (and FUCK... it is a huge issue to me) is that Atlas was turned into a pain slut and his personality slowly erased by Conquest. All of the sex with Raziel and Conquest was pain pain pain for Atlas. Atlas even specifically says he was never into painful sex at all... but now he magically is just cause Conquest has a magical cock or some shit? Ugh. I hate that, it's so weak and uninteresting.
Based on what was written, Atlas would have literally been torn open when Conquest fucked him. Like anal tears, bleeding and extreme pain, folks. For weeks. It wasn't specifically stated like that, but that's the ONLY possible outcome. Atlas is mortal, and Conquest is huge. He barely prepped Atlas at all; he started by jamming three (not one or two, but three!) of his very large fingers (huge Conquest, huge fingers) inside Atlas. Atlas had never really bottomed before them, and here this huge immortal is practically splitting him open with fingers for a mere moment before immediately following with his even larger dick forced balls deep. Conquest never even checked to see if he was okay afterward. It's not hot or sexy.
Unlike in the fourth book Death, where the sadism/masochism is explicitly intended, this book does a lot of hand waving and seems to try to make us interpret Conquest's delivery of pain as some act of love or at the very least lustful affection. It just doesn't work, at all.
In the first book of the original series, Conquest always had an edge about him, but he melted for Raziel. Conquest would destroy the world without a thought, but he'd roll over for Raziel with the slightest nudge. Conquest never wanted to truly hurt Raziel once he fell for him. That was the "special sauce" to their relationship, in my opinion. With Atlas, though, Conquest is a selfish asshole. He treats Atlas like a disposable toy. I don't see any of the love and affection I expected to see.
Conquest constantly degraded Atlas, telling him that he meant nothing, making him feel worthless and powerless. Conquest didn't even give him one ounce of reprieve even when everything he knows (his entire mortal world) was being utterly destroyed and taken from him. Conquest broke him down, destroyed Atlas' personality and will. He never once apologized for any of it, and the only time the book even hints at Conquest maybe feeling remorse is through another character's POV. Basically, the potential "remorse" could just be something that character wants to see from Conquest, not something Conquest actually offers. Considering the book literally ends with the implication that Conquest would eventually kill Atlas because he's mortal and therefore part of the Apocalypse... yeah, I'm not feel anything but disgust for their "relationship."
Frankly, I see Atlas as more of a slave based on this book. And at least one of the sex scenes was reminiscent of rape. Dubious content, at least. Atlas' strong personality was destroyed and his character enslaved to a version of Conquest that feels like it was retcon'ed from what was established in the first book "Conquest." Conquest supposedly respects and admires Atlas' strong will, yet Conquest destroys it within him consistently throughout the book. Chipping away at who Atlas is, bit by bit until there's nothing left but blind obedience. There's no way I believe Conquest fell in love or was in the process of falling in love with Atlas.
Furthermore, Raziel was made to be a doormat. He used to bravely stand up to Conquest's brutality and cruelty, but now he let's Conquest hurt Atlas, practically rape his mind and body. Raziel stands by while Conquest degrades Atlas and makes a mockery of his feelings as his whole world is being obliterated. And once again, Conquest never utters anything even close to an apology. He never shows any empathy at all, aside from him basically saying "I could have killed you a bazillion times but I haven't so you're lucky to have me" So much love blossoming there... 🙄
Conquest and Atlas together felt like an abusive relationship. It was painful and distressing to read, and so far, it has thoroughly ruined my enjoyment of them from the original series. It's so far from what the main series led us to believe about them. It's like the author had a writing boner for abusive pain now, but the first book Conquest had a lot more balance than that. I literally re-read that book just to be sure I wasn't mis-remembering.
I'm still going to read Part 2 when it comes out because I'm still hopeful it will course-correct this trio's story. It's possible that Conquest turns himself around, I can see that potential path and this all being part of the author's intent. But I ultimately don't know what direction the author will go until Part 2, so this is where I'm at now. For the love of Gaia, humble Conquest enough to say "I'm sorry" to his supposed second lover just once, is that too much to ask?
I really, really need it to resolve with something that feels like genuine love and affection between all three, especially Conquest and Atlas. I pray the author will take us away from the loveless domination and dishing out of pain... I want to see Conquest, Raziel, and Atlas be together the way Conquest and Raziel were together before Atlas. Otherwise, it just feels untrue to the original series (for Conquest and Raziel).
Ugh, I am so disappointed right now.
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Original "review," when the book was announced, months before its release:
FUCK YES! THANK YOU, AUTHOR! Seeing this placeholder for Atlas' story is the best thing I've read in months. The lack of visibility into Atlas, Conquest, and Raziel was my only *real* issue (i.e. not just a preference thing) with the main series. Jesus, this is gonna put the Horsemen series in my "favorites of all time" shelf. I just know it. I can feel it already. MUCH EXCITE!
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU