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Savior of the Light #1
Trailing Darkness
Do you believe in angels? Would you know if you met one? Would you know if you were one?
Brienna is a normal, somewhat quirky, human being—or so she thinks—until one day, the archangel Michael visits her and she finds herself tasked with the responsibility of sealing the nine Gates to Hell that reside on Earth. Amid the growing evil that has been infecting the Earth and disturbing the balance between light and dark, Brienna must travel the world in a race against time to prevent the underworld from rising. But as in the quests of old, with great responsibility comes great tribulations.
Can Brienna survive her adventures and seal all of the Hell Gates or will the Earth fall to darkness?
Trailing Darkness is the first book in the Savior of the Light series and ends on a cliffhanger.
"Riveting, gripping, hugely entertaining novel. It's a huge achievement of humanity and imagination, and I loved reading it." - Dr. Michael with FirstEditing
Content Warning: This book contains references to car accidents, brain injuries, chronic pain, depression, PTSD, murder, sacrificial rituals, and violence. Some of the scenes may also be considered graphic. If you find any of these topics triggering, please be advised.
Brienna is a normal, somewhat quirky, human being—or so she thinks—until one day, the archangel Michael visits her and she finds herself tasked with the responsibility of sealing the nine Gates to Hell that reside on Earth. Amid the growing evil that has been infecting the Earth and disturbing the balance between light and dark, Brienna must travel the world in a race against time to prevent the underworld from rising. But as in the quests of old, with great responsibility comes great tribulations.
Can Brienna survive her adventures and seal all of the Hell Gates or will the Earth fall to darkness?
Trailing Darkness is the first book in the Savior of the Light series and ends on a cliffhanger.
"Riveting, gripping, hugely entertaining novel. It's a huge achievement of humanity and imagination, and I loved reading it." - Dr. Michael with FirstEditing
Content Warning: This book contains references to car accidents, brain injuries, chronic pain, depression, PTSD, murder, sacrificial rituals, and violence. Some of the scenes may also be considered graphic. If you find any of these topics triggering, please be advised.
- GenresFantasy
327 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 14, 2024
25 people are currently reading
1967 people want to read
About the author
A.L. Gordon
4 books8 followersA. L. Gordon is an American author and self-described book addict. On the rare occasions when she is not reading or writing, you can usually find her making some of her own adventures with her dog.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
January 20, 2025
From the immediate moments this prologue opens, you are quickly thrown into a majestic story. We are introduced to the archangels as they assemble.
It is Sabriel, an angel's POV that introduces us to their concerns:
Earth is in jeopardy and angels must take human form and intervene. The earth is overrun by demons. They have secured too much of the world power, corrupting all around them. Volunteers are needed, but those that take on the challenge will lose all knowledge of their heavenly existence, and for Sabriel... this means losing the knowledge of her love for Michael.
Fast forward to a little coffee shop where our FMC, Brie, is getting the next fix of her drug of choice....caffeine.
Down right addicted to coffee, Brie is relatable and I adored her immediately. What seems like a very normal, almost downright mediocre day turns when Brie is visited by none other than Michael the archangel and he gives the- ever so small task -of sealing the nine Gates to Hell that reside on Earth.
And the rest,... you'll just have to read, because it is fantastic. Light enough that I could read it rather quickly while a lot of chaos went on in my life over the weekend, it still had many deep layers (especially if you're unfamiliar with angel and demon lore)
It ends in a cliffhanger and I will be chomping at the bit for the next installment. Light on the romance, it is there, but if you are a hardcore romantasy nut- this one is is much lighter.
Thank you SO SO much to A.L. Gordon for offering me a copy, I enjoyed it SO much.
It is Sabriel, an angel's POV that introduces us to their concerns:
Earth is in jeopardy and angels must take human form and intervene. The earth is overrun by demons. They have secured too much of the world power, corrupting all around them. Volunteers are needed, but those that take on the challenge will lose all knowledge of their heavenly existence, and for Sabriel... this means losing the knowledge of her love for Michael.
Fast forward to a little coffee shop where our FMC, Brie, is getting the next fix of her drug of choice....caffeine.
Down right addicted to coffee, Brie is relatable and I adored her immediately. What seems like a very normal, almost downright mediocre day turns when Brie is visited by none other than Michael the archangel and he gives the- ever so small task -of sealing the nine Gates to Hell that reside on Earth.
And the rest,... you'll just have to read, because it is fantastic. Light enough that I could read it rather quickly while a lot of chaos went on in my life over the weekend, it still had many deep layers (especially if you're unfamiliar with angel and demon lore)
It ends in a cliffhanger and I will be chomping at the bit for the next installment. Light on the romance, it is there, but if you are a hardcore romantasy nut- this one is is much lighter.
Thank you SO SO much to A.L. Gordon for offering me a copy, I enjoyed it SO much.
June 15, 2024
Brienna, is going about her normal, sometimes quirky life until one day, something strange occurs at work. Then Archangel Michael arrives, and Brienna discovers her life is not what it seemed.
The deeper I got into the book, the more I found myself completely engrossed in the story, unable to put it down. I was desperate to find out how everything would turn out, I needed to make sure Brie would be ok…
I find myself completely stunned now that I have finished. I’m absolutely floored by what just happened, eagerly anticipating the release of the next book!
I received this book as an advanced reader copy for free and have provided my review absolutely voluntarily.
The deeper I got into the book, the more I found myself completely engrossed in the story, unable to put it down. I was desperate to find out how everything would turn out, I needed to make sure Brie would be ok…
I find myself completely stunned now that I have finished. I’m absolutely floored by what just happened, eagerly anticipating the release of the next book!
I received this book as an advanced reader copy for free and have provided my review absolutely voluntarily.
June 12, 2024
This book reminds me of the show Supernatural in a way (Loved that show!) I absolutely loved this book, and I can’t wait for you all to read it! @algordon.author made me feel like I was going through Brie’s journey alongside her, with the way she describes everything. This book has action, love, and archangels! I do highly recommend you check this one out, but please keep in mind that it does have descriptions of murder.
June 12, 2024
This was so fun!!
I loved the prologue it really grabs your attention and starts the story of well.
This was such a fun read about archangels and good and evil. The romance plot was so good as it didn’t distract from the story at all.
The scene with Cerberus and Brie will live rent free in my head 😂
That ending tho!! Can’t wait to read the next book to find out what will happen with that since I didn’t expect the story to go with that direction but I’m loving it!!
I loved the prologue it really grabs your attention and starts the story of well.
This was such a fun read about archangels and good and evil. The romance plot was so good as it didn’t distract from the story at all.
The scene with Cerberus and Brie will live rent free in my head 😂
That ending tho!! Can’t wait to read the next book to find out what will happen with that since I didn’t expect the story to go with that direction but I’m loving it!!
April 20, 2025
ARC REVIEW
Unfortunately, this book wasn't really for me. It was well edited and I can tell a lot of world building went into this story, and it feels like there is a lot more story to tell. However I found problems with the characters, plot and pacing that hindered my enjoyment on this book. The dialogue was often full of exposition and the pacing varied from glacial to exponential.
I can tell the author has done all the right things in getting to this stage. Writing is hard, and finishing and editing a book is to be commended. Especially putting it out in the world. I wish the author all the best and many fans of her work.
Unfortunately, this book wasn't really for me. It was well edited and I can tell a lot of world building went into this story, and it feels like there is a lot more story to tell. However I found problems with the characters, plot and pacing that hindered my enjoyment on this book. The dialogue was often full of exposition and the pacing varied from glacial to exponential.
I can tell the author has done all the right things in getting to this stage. Writing is hard, and finishing and editing a book is to be commended. Especially putting it out in the world. I wish the author all the best and many fans of her work.
July 13, 2024
Trailing Darkness, the debut novel by A. L. Gordon, is the story of Brie, a directionless coffee addict who finds out she’s the soul of an angel who volunteered to live in a human’s body to fight the spreading darkness on Earth. With no memory of her life as an angel, her superiors task Brie with closing the Hell Gates across the land to save humanity—and along the way, she must decide if she’s still in love with her mate, the archangel Michael.
A thrilling Magical Girl story, Darkness engages the reader almost immediately as Gordon drops them into a world with the conflict already in progress. (The POV switches from Brie and Michael, but make no mistake about whose story this is—even Michael’s chapters are centered around Brie.) We meet the cast of characters in the prologue through the eyes of the warrior-angel Sabriel, Brie’s alter ego, before the eyes of our heroine—a move that familiarizes the reader with the world and gives them a leg-up in comprehension while Brie is still grappling with her new (past) normal. The worldbuilding is excellent, taking a page out of Supernatural’s book and combining the Judeo-Christian traditions with older mythologies. This is an action-adventure story at heart that eases the reader into the lore of the world without it becoming too overwhelming, though at times that action is glossed over in favor of the interpersonal relationships of Brie, her BFF Callie, her mate Michael, and everyone’s favorite villain, Lucifer. The other cadre of angels have some screen time, but mostly as comedic relief and as a source of Plot. This is Book 1 of a planned series, and it does its job well setting up the greater upcoming conflict and the additional foils the heroes must overcome to ensure good balances evil in the world once more.
Readers who enjoy simple fantasy or are looking for a light read will find this book much to their tastes, and its publication date is advantageous for a pleasant summer read. However, readers who prefer more high fantasy or literary prose may find themselves searching for more meat in this story. And despite the c-plot romance, those looking for Romantasy should be aware there is no spice or slow-burn here, but there is a mild miscommunication trope.
(Author's Content Warnings: “car accidents, brain injuries, chronic pain, depression, PTSD, murder, sacrificial rituals, and violence.”)
I received a free ARC from Discovery.
A thrilling Magical Girl story, Darkness engages the reader almost immediately as Gordon drops them into a world with the conflict already in progress. (The POV switches from Brie and Michael, but make no mistake about whose story this is—even Michael’s chapters are centered around Brie.) We meet the cast of characters in the prologue through the eyes of the warrior-angel Sabriel, Brie’s alter ego, before the eyes of our heroine—a move that familiarizes the reader with the world and gives them a leg-up in comprehension while Brie is still grappling with her new (past) normal. The worldbuilding is excellent, taking a page out of Supernatural’s book and combining the Judeo-Christian traditions with older mythologies. This is an action-adventure story at heart that eases the reader into the lore of the world without it becoming too overwhelming, though at times that action is glossed over in favor of the interpersonal relationships of Brie, her BFF Callie, her mate Michael, and everyone’s favorite villain, Lucifer. The other cadre of angels have some screen time, but mostly as comedic relief and as a source of Plot. This is Book 1 of a planned series, and it does its job well setting up the greater upcoming conflict and the additional foils the heroes must overcome to ensure good balances evil in the world once more.
Readers who enjoy simple fantasy or are looking for a light read will find this book much to their tastes, and its publication date is advantageous for a pleasant summer read. However, readers who prefer more high fantasy or literary prose may find themselves searching for more meat in this story. And despite the c-plot romance, those looking for Romantasy should be aware there is no spice or slow-burn here, but there is a mild miscommunication trope.
(Author's Content Warnings: “car accidents, brain injuries, chronic pain, depression, PTSD, murder, sacrificial rituals, and violence.”)
I received a free ARC from Discovery.
June 11, 2024
📖 TRAILING DARKNESS / ✍️ A.L. GORDON
~ ☆ ARC REVIEW ☆ ~
📚 GENRES: Paranormal Fantasy adventure novel
🎈Trailing Darkness is the first book in the " Savior of the Light" series and ends on a cliffhanger.
[ Pages: 324 / Publication date: 14/6/2024 ]
⚠️ Car accidents, brain injuries, chronic pain, depression, PTSD, murder, sacrificial virtuals, violence. Some of the scenes may also be considered graphic.
😇 Do you believe in angels? Would you know if you met one? Would you know if you were?
Brienna is a normal, somewhat quirky, human being—or so she thinks—until one day, the archangel Michael visits her and she finds herself tasked with the responsibility of sealing the nine Gates to Hell that reside on Earth. Amid the growing evil that has been infecting the Earth and disturbing the balance between light and dark, Brienna must travel the world in a race against time to prevent the underworld from rising. But as in the quests of old, with great responsibility comes great tribulations.
💎 Can Brienna survive her adventures and seal all of the Hell Gates or will the Earth fall to darkness?
📚 Quotes
📌 I slowly sit up and Michael wraps his arms around me, placing his head on my shoulder while one of his large hands cradles my head. I realize he is trembling as he holds onto me like his life depends on it. Guilt consumes my being. He's hurting right now because of me, because I made the decision that we needed to banish those spirits.
📌 "Thank you, " I tell him gratefully. And I mean it. These little considerations he has for me make me fall a little more in love with him every day.
📌 The Hell version of demons have human-looking souls chained to various surfaces and are torturing them in gruesome actsof violence. The souls wail in pain and agony, tormented beyond imagination. Tears stream down my cheeks.
🫠 I truly enjoyed it! Adventurous and page turning. I couldn't put it down. If you like angels, here you are 🫶.
Thanks for sharing an ARC copy with me!!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4,5/5
~ ☆ ARC REVIEW ☆ ~
📚 GENRES: Paranormal Fantasy adventure novel
🎈Trailing Darkness is the first book in the " Savior of the Light" series and ends on a cliffhanger.
[ Pages: 324 / Publication date: 14/6/2024 ]
⚠️ Car accidents, brain injuries, chronic pain, depression, PTSD, murder, sacrificial virtuals, violence. Some of the scenes may also be considered graphic.
😇 Do you believe in angels? Would you know if you met one? Would you know if you were?
Brienna is a normal, somewhat quirky, human being—or so she thinks—until one day, the archangel Michael visits her and she finds herself tasked with the responsibility of sealing the nine Gates to Hell that reside on Earth. Amid the growing evil that has been infecting the Earth and disturbing the balance between light and dark, Brienna must travel the world in a race against time to prevent the underworld from rising. But as in the quests of old, with great responsibility comes great tribulations.
💎 Can Brienna survive her adventures and seal all of the Hell Gates or will the Earth fall to darkness?
📚 Quotes
📌 I slowly sit up and Michael wraps his arms around me, placing his head on my shoulder while one of his large hands cradles my head. I realize he is trembling as he holds onto me like his life depends on it. Guilt consumes my being. He's hurting right now because of me, because I made the decision that we needed to banish those spirits.
📌 "Thank you, " I tell him gratefully. And I mean it. These little considerations he has for me make me fall a little more in love with him every day.
📌 The Hell version of demons have human-looking souls chained to various surfaces and are torturing them in gruesome actsof violence. The souls wail in pain and agony, tormented beyond imagination. Tears stream down my cheeks.
🫠 I truly enjoyed it! Adventurous and page turning. I couldn't put it down. If you like angels, here you are 🫶.
Thanks for sharing an ARC copy with me!!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4,5/5
June 15, 2025
2.5. I wanted to like this book more than I did, but honestly it was just too repetitive throughout the whole thing. There wasn’t a lot of character building between events, and the chapters just jumped from one thing to another without any plot in between. Every event felt like it was the same thing just told a different way. I liked the concept of the book but the actual storyline just didn’t do it for me. There were major events that seemed to just be glossed over and the writing style just didn’t work for me. Unfortunately I don’t think I’ll be finishing the series.
June 25, 2024
I was hooked from the prologue and couldn't put the book down. The characters were interesting and well-rounded. I loved it so much, I finished it within two days (It would have been sooner but my two children made it difficult!)
It's an engaging story and extremely well written. You follow Brie's story and find yourself routing for her as she faces off against evil. I can't wait to learn more about them and the other Angels. I will definitely be sticking around for book two!
It's an engaging story and extremely well written. You follow Brie's story and find yourself routing for her as she faces off against evil. I can't wait to learn more about them and the other Angels. I will definitely be sticking around for book two!
December 26, 2024
This was a great first book in a new fantasy series! I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the next book.
I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 15, 2025
Loved the FMC and her soul mate!
February 28, 2025
Great read!
For my first fantasy read, I loved it! The ending had me gasping. I'm excited to see how book 2 continues!
For my first fantasy read, I loved it! The ending had me gasping. I'm excited to see how book 2 continues!
February 10, 2025
I was hooked from the prologue and couldn't put the book down. The characters were interesting and well-rounded. I loved it so much, I finished it within two days (It would have been sooner but my two children made it difficult!) It's an engaging story and extremely well written. You follow Brie's story and find yourself routing for her as she faces off against evil. I can't wait to learn more about them and the other Angels. I will definitely be sticking around for book two!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews