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Torment of the Divine: Original Sin
Heaven and Hell.
Two realms locked in an eternal war since the dawn of mankind. A war said to have begun from jealousy and pride, or so the legends claim.
But what if the truth runs deeper?
What if before there was sin and corruption, there was love?
A love so powerful it defied Heaven itself—threatening to unravel creation and reshape existence. A love twisted into hatred, birthing a darkness so consuming it challenges even the purest of souls.
Journey through a tale that rewrites history.
Witness how faith fractures, how devotion burns, and how light itself can fall.
Experience the birth of corruption... and feel the Torment of the Divine.
Two realms locked in an eternal war since the dawn of mankind. A war said to have begun from jealousy and pride, or so the legends claim.
But what if the truth runs deeper?
What if before there was sin and corruption, there was love?
A love so powerful it defied Heaven itself—threatening to unravel creation and reshape existence. A love twisted into hatred, birthing a darkness so consuming it challenges even the purest of souls.
Journey through a tale that rewrites history.
Witness how faith fractures, how devotion burns, and how light itself can fall.
Experience the birth of corruption... and feel the Torment of the Divine.
226 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 3, 2025
5 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
November 26, 2025
Thank you to the publisher Franklin Publishing Group LLC for providing this book for review purposes via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
I have read many books with Lucifer in, the fallen angel and tormented soul, I have a weakness for tormented and tortured souls so I have been toying with with reading this book for a few weeks until today when I finally decided to go for it. This was a creative reimagining of Heaven vs Hell, I really enjoyed it as it was different. The ending was unexpected but completely brilliant, until that point this book was averaging 4 stars for me but the ending took it into the stratosphere taking it up to 5 stars as that was genius. I really did not see that twist coming. Overall I though this book was really enjoying and well written, I read the preview on Goodreads and that was what made my mind up read it. The books is just over 200 pages so was a quick and enjoyable read.
I have read many books with Lucifer in, the fallen angel and tormented soul, I have a weakness for tormented and tortured souls so I have been toying with with reading this book for a few weeks until today when I finally decided to go for it. This was a creative reimagining of Heaven vs Hell, I really enjoyed it as it was different. The ending was unexpected but completely brilliant, until that point this book was averaging 4 stars for me but the ending took it into the stratosphere taking it up to 5 stars as that was genius. I really did not see that twist coming. Overall I though this book was really enjoying and well written, I read the preview on Goodreads and that was what made my mind up read it. The books is just over 200 pages so was a quick and enjoyable read.
December 5, 2025
I loved this book!!! I was fully invested from the very first page.
Torment of the Divine: Original Sin explores the gaps in the traditional origin of sin narrative, offering a compelling and deeply thought provoking interpretation of Lucifer’s fall. The author sets out to answer a question many of us with a religious background have wondered: why did Lucifer truly fall? While we’re often told it was simply pride and a desire to be equal to God, this story creates a rich, harrowing chain of events that explains why it happened. I was genuinely impressed by the nuance and imagination behind it.
Some readers may prefer a longer, more emotionally expansive novel, but for me the pacing was perfect. I will be buying copy.
The cover and title immediately caught my attention (both 10/10), and as someone who loves stories involving angels, devils, and celestial conflict, I requested the ARC as soon as I read the description.
The ending is brutal, as expected in a retelling of Lucifer’s fall and transformation into Satan, but the final twist left me with a genuine “woah” moment. I absolutely did not see it coming.
I would highly recommend this book.
Thank you to Franklin Publishing Group LLC and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Torment of the Divine: Original Sin explores the gaps in the traditional origin of sin narrative, offering a compelling and deeply thought provoking interpretation of Lucifer’s fall. The author sets out to answer a question many of us with a religious background have wondered: why did Lucifer truly fall? While we’re often told it was simply pride and a desire to be equal to God, this story creates a rich, harrowing chain of events that explains why it happened. I was genuinely impressed by the nuance and imagination behind it.
Some readers may prefer a longer, more emotionally expansive novel, but for me the pacing was perfect. I will be buying copy.
The cover and title immediately caught my attention (both 10/10), and as someone who loves stories involving angels, devils, and celestial conflict, I requested the ARC as soon as I read the description.
The ending is brutal, as expected in a retelling of Lucifer’s fall and transformation into Satan, but the final twist left me with a genuine “woah” moment. I absolutely did not see it coming.
I would highly recommend this book.
Thank you to Franklin Publishing Group LLC and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 1, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley for giving me this ARC, here are my honest opinions.
I went into this book with no expectations, I wanted it to affect me during my time reading it. And I was positively surprised. This is a bit of a different take on the heaven vs hell, and the story of Lucifer the fallen angel.
This is not a book I would normally go for, but I want to challenge myself and try new things when it comes to reading. My rating does not mean that the book was bad in any way, it just wasn’t anything special for me. I think I would’ve liked it a bit longer. However I understand the author’s reasoning behind the length, as described in the acknowledgments.
I went into this book with no expectations, I wanted it to affect me during my time reading it. And I was positively surprised. This is a bit of a different take on the heaven vs hell, and the story of Lucifer the fallen angel.
This is not a book I would normally go for, but I want to challenge myself and try new things when it comes to reading. My rating does not mean that the book was bad in any way, it just wasn’t anything special for me. I think I would’ve liked it a bit longer. However I understand the author’s reasoning behind the length, as described in the acknowledgments.
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January 10, 2026DNF'ed at 34% because I could not stand the structure, the writing style, and the way women in the text were described. I will not be leaving a star rating because I did not finish. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
The chunk of this that I read was a mess. We start off with an unnecessary in medias res prologue between two characters named Elohim and Sapien (including a first and second sentence with three exclamation points each), before moving quickly to God and Lucifer. Then we follow Lucifer and the woman, before the author quite literally says 'I'm going to stop the story to explain the background for all of this'. And indeed, there are three chapters setting up how God came to be and giving us context for the prologue. Then we go back to the Lucifer and the characters we've previously spent time with. I quit here, because I wanted to see what the backstory was, but I was not going to read any more of Lucifer's adventures.
The writing is unpolished to say the least and contributes to the structural issues. Adams does provide somewhat detailed descriptions of characters and places, but they frequently lack context that would make them memorable in any way. For example, when we meet 4 out of the 5 archangels, they are standing in the background of the scene, not doing anything in particular, but we get detailed physical and personality descriptions. Adams loves to tell us things, but we aren't shown anything, making it almost impossible for these characters to feel like real humans. They feel like cardboard cutouts that Adams dutifully shunts around his insubstantial world. Or, for another analogy, this reads like the outline of a book. Adams knows what scenes he wants to have and the emotional beats he wants to hit, but he hasn't figured out how to flesh out those interactions.
I really have no patience for the way that Adams writes about women. It's particularly striking when we get just the barest description of the man in the garden while he washes his face in the morning, and then a long description of the woman, lingering on her physical appearance while she bathes naked in a pond. You could make the argument that this is Lucifer's opinion of the woman, but the narration elsewhere is very clearly an omniscient narrator, so it's just kind of creepy. The two total women in the bit that I read are also stressed as being pale, while the men's relative paleness is either not mentioned or they are described as non-white, so that's fun too!
The worldbuilding in this was intriguing enough that I likely would have finished it, had it not been for the writing style. I am a bit of a sucker for a weird sci-fi cosmogony, hence why I requested this in the first place, but I could not tolerate another 100 pages of it.
The chunk of this that I read was a mess. We start off with an unnecessary in medias res prologue between two characters named Elohim and Sapien (including a first and second sentence with three exclamation points each), before moving quickly to God and Lucifer. Then we follow Lucifer and the woman, before the author quite literally says 'I'm going to stop the story to explain the background for all of this'. And indeed, there are three chapters setting up how God came to be and giving us context for the prologue. Then we go back to the Lucifer and the characters we've previously spent time with. I quit here, because I wanted to see what the backstory was, but I was not going to read any more of Lucifer's adventures.
The writing is unpolished to say the least and contributes to the structural issues. Adams does provide somewhat detailed descriptions of characters and places, but they frequently lack context that would make them memorable in any way. For example, when we meet 4 out of the 5 archangels, they are standing in the background of the scene, not doing anything in particular, but we get detailed physical and personality descriptions. Adams loves to tell us things, but we aren't shown anything, making it almost impossible for these characters to feel like real humans. They feel like cardboard cutouts that Adams dutifully shunts around his insubstantial world. Or, for another analogy, this reads like the outline of a book. Adams knows what scenes he wants to have and the emotional beats he wants to hit, but he hasn't figured out how to flesh out those interactions.
I really have no patience for the way that Adams writes about women. It's particularly striking when we get just the barest description of the man in the garden while he washes his face in the morning, and then a long description of the woman, lingering on her physical appearance while she bathes naked in a pond. You could make the argument that this is Lucifer's opinion of the woman, but the narration elsewhere is very clearly an omniscient narrator, so it's just kind of creepy. The two total women in the bit that I read are also stressed as being pale, while the men's relative paleness is either not mentioned or they are described as non-white, so that's fun too!
The worldbuilding in this was intriguing enough that I likely would have finished it, had it not been for the writing style. I am a bit of a sucker for a weird sci-fi cosmogony, hence why I requested this in the first place, but I could not tolerate another 100 pages of it.
December 5, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the E-ARC in return for an honest review.
The story is an interesting retelling of the fall of Lucifer, focussing on the question of "Why did Lucifer fall from God's grace." I admittedly only know the basics of the tale from the bible (having not grown up religious), but the story and both angels and demons fascinate me.
The book elaborates a lot on the story and gives perspective to a lot of the characters. I enjoyed reading the love develop between Lucifer and Lilith. The fighting and action scenes were well crafted and exciting and the dialogue was emotive and hearty.
I do believe the book could do with a bit more editing. There's a few moments where the tenses shift and there's some unnecessary repetition of some story elements. I think with some fresh eyes and a little restructuring it could be much improved, but it was still an enjoyable read and was clearly a labour of love by the author.
The story is an interesting retelling of the fall of Lucifer, focussing on the question of "Why did Lucifer fall from God's grace." I admittedly only know the basics of the tale from the bible (having not grown up religious), but the story and both angels and demons fascinate me.
The book elaborates a lot on the story and gives perspective to a lot of the characters. I enjoyed reading the love develop between Lucifer and Lilith. The fighting and action scenes were well crafted and exciting and the dialogue was emotive and hearty.
I do believe the book could do with a bit more editing. There's a few moments where the tenses shift and there's some unnecessary repetition of some story elements. I think with some fresh eyes and a little restructuring it could be much improved, but it was still an enjoyable read and was clearly a labour of love by the author.
December 22, 2025
I’ve read enough Heaven versus Hell narratives to feel fairly certain about their typical beats and familiar archetypes. Torment of the Divine: Original Sin by Eric Adams took those expectations and completely demolished them, creating something that feels simultaneously ancient and futuristic, theological and technological in ways I wasn’t anticipating.
From the opening prologue, Adams establishes that this isn’t going to be your standard angel-and-demon fare. The scope feels massive immediately—cosmic entities, genetic manipulation, weapons forged from stars, metaphysical combat that operates on scales beyond simple good versus evil binaries. It’s ambitious in ways that could easily collapse under its own weight, but Adams manages to maintain coherence while building something genuinely epic.
What caught my attention most was how Adams integrates science fiction elements into traditionally religious mythology. Rather than keeping these spheres separate or treating the supernatural as simply advanced technology, he creates a universe where both operate according to their own logic while intersecting in fascinating ways. The genetic experimentation angles particularly added layers I haven’t encountered in similar retellings.
The characters populating this world—Elohim, Sapien, the Nephilim, the Weavers—feel both mythologically rooted and completely original. Adams clearly draws from biblical and apocryphal sources but remixes them so thoroughly that even familiar names carry different weight and possibility. The Nephilim in particular emerged as more complex than typical giant-offspring interpretations.
Adams writes with the kind of enthusiasm that suggests genuine love for the genres he’s working within. The influences from anime, video games, and various mythological traditions aren’t just surface-level aesthetic choices—they inform how he structures action, develops power systems, and escalates stakes. Readers familiar with those genres will recognize the DNA while still encountering something distinct.
The worldbuilding operates at the lore-heavy end of the spectrum, which will either delight or overwhelm depending on your tolerance for complex mythologies. Adams has clearly thought through the mechanics of his universe—how divine power functions, what limitations exist, why certain conflicts persist across eons. The depth of detail suggests this could easily support multiple books.
The pacing moves with cinematic energy, particularly during action sequences that feel choreographed with visual media in mind. I could practically see these battles playing out on screen, which speaks to Adams’ ability to render spatial relationships and power dynamics clearly despite the cosmic scale involved.
What impressed me most was how Adams handles the familiar question of Lucifer’s fall and the nature of rebellion against divine authority. Rather than simply retelling that story with new names, he explores the philosophical and practical implications of that conflict in ways that add genuine complexity. The questions about creation, free will, and the origins of darkness feel substantive rather than decorative.
The book functions effectively as origin story while still providing enough resolution to feel satisfying as standalone reading. Adams clearly has larger plans for this universe, but he doesn’t sacrifice present narrative satisfaction for future setup. The ending particularly caught me off guard in the best way—it resolved threads I’d been following while simultaneously reframing my understanding of earlier events.
The science fantasy hybrid nature of this story will appeal most to readers comfortable crossing genre boundaries. If you need your space opera purely scientific or your religious allegory strictly theological, this might feel too mixed. But for those who enjoy seeing familiar concepts remixed through different genre lenses, Adams has created something genuinely interesting.
The cover art deserves specific mention—it’s genuinely striking in ways that accurately represent what’s inside. The dark celestial imagery and intricate details signal immediately that this isn’t standard religious fiction or typical space opera. It’s the kind of visual that makes you pick up the book to investigate further, and the contents deliver on that promise.
Adams tackles both cosmic-scale conflicts and more intimate character moments without losing balance between them. The philosophical questions about divinity and darkness operate alongside personal struggles and relationships, creating layers that prevent the story from becoming purely abstract theological debate or empty spectacle.
The mythology Adams constructs draws from multiple traditions without simply mashing them together randomly. There’s clear thought behind how different elements integrate, why certain beings possess specific powers, and what larger cosmology governs this universe. The result feels cohesive despite pulling from diverse sources.
Torment of the Divine: Original Sin announces Adams as someone willing to take real creative risks with familiar material. Not every experimental choice will work for every reader, but the ambition and energy behind this project are undeniable.
For readers who like:
Fans of Good Omens who want something darker and more action-oriented, anyone who appreciated Paradise Lost but wished it had space battles, readers seeking biblical retellings that aren’t afraid to add sci-fi elements, and those who enjoy lore-heavy universe building.
Final Verdict
Eric Adams has created an ambitious, energetic reimagining of divine conflict that successfully blends theological questions with science fiction spectacle. Torment of the Divine: Original Sin won’t work for readers seeking traditional religious narrative or pure science fiction, but for those comfortable with genre hybridity and complex worldbuilding, it offers a refreshingly different take on eternal questions about creation, rebellion, and the nature of darkness. The ending alone justifies the journey, delivering surprises that recontextualize everything preceding them. This is exactly the kind of bold debut that makes you eager to see where the author takes the mythology in future installments.
Grateful to NetGalley, Franklin Publishing Group LLC, and Eric Adams for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.
From the opening prologue, Adams establishes that this isn’t going to be your standard angel-and-demon fare. The scope feels massive immediately—cosmic entities, genetic manipulation, weapons forged from stars, metaphysical combat that operates on scales beyond simple good versus evil binaries. It’s ambitious in ways that could easily collapse under its own weight, but Adams manages to maintain coherence while building something genuinely epic.
What caught my attention most was how Adams integrates science fiction elements into traditionally religious mythology. Rather than keeping these spheres separate or treating the supernatural as simply advanced technology, he creates a universe where both operate according to their own logic while intersecting in fascinating ways. The genetic experimentation angles particularly added layers I haven’t encountered in similar retellings.
The characters populating this world—Elohim, Sapien, the Nephilim, the Weavers—feel both mythologically rooted and completely original. Adams clearly draws from biblical and apocryphal sources but remixes them so thoroughly that even familiar names carry different weight and possibility. The Nephilim in particular emerged as more complex than typical giant-offspring interpretations.
Adams writes with the kind of enthusiasm that suggests genuine love for the genres he’s working within. The influences from anime, video games, and various mythological traditions aren’t just surface-level aesthetic choices—they inform how he structures action, develops power systems, and escalates stakes. Readers familiar with those genres will recognize the DNA while still encountering something distinct.
The worldbuilding operates at the lore-heavy end of the spectrum, which will either delight or overwhelm depending on your tolerance for complex mythologies. Adams has clearly thought through the mechanics of his universe—how divine power functions, what limitations exist, why certain conflicts persist across eons. The depth of detail suggests this could easily support multiple books.
The pacing moves with cinematic energy, particularly during action sequences that feel choreographed with visual media in mind. I could practically see these battles playing out on screen, which speaks to Adams’ ability to render spatial relationships and power dynamics clearly despite the cosmic scale involved.
What impressed me most was how Adams handles the familiar question of Lucifer’s fall and the nature of rebellion against divine authority. Rather than simply retelling that story with new names, he explores the philosophical and practical implications of that conflict in ways that add genuine complexity. The questions about creation, free will, and the origins of darkness feel substantive rather than decorative.
The book functions effectively as origin story while still providing enough resolution to feel satisfying as standalone reading. Adams clearly has larger plans for this universe, but he doesn’t sacrifice present narrative satisfaction for future setup. The ending particularly caught me off guard in the best way—it resolved threads I’d been following while simultaneously reframing my understanding of earlier events.
The science fantasy hybrid nature of this story will appeal most to readers comfortable crossing genre boundaries. If you need your space opera purely scientific or your religious allegory strictly theological, this might feel too mixed. But for those who enjoy seeing familiar concepts remixed through different genre lenses, Adams has created something genuinely interesting.
The cover art deserves specific mention—it’s genuinely striking in ways that accurately represent what’s inside. The dark celestial imagery and intricate details signal immediately that this isn’t standard religious fiction or typical space opera. It’s the kind of visual that makes you pick up the book to investigate further, and the contents deliver on that promise.
Adams tackles both cosmic-scale conflicts and more intimate character moments without losing balance between them. The philosophical questions about divinity and darkness operate alongside personal struggles and relationships, creating layers that prevent the story from becoming purely abstract theological debate or empty spectacle.
The mythology Adams constructs draws from multiple traditions without simply mashing them together randomly. There’s clear thought behind how different elements integrate, why certain beings possess specific powers, and what larger cosmology governs this universe. The result feels cohesive despite pulling from diverse sources.
Torment of the Divine: Original Sin announces Adams as someone willing to take real creative risks with familiar material. Not every experimental choice will work for every reader, but the ambition and energy behind this project are undeniable.
For readers who like:
Fans of Good Omens who want something darker and more action-oriented, anyone who appreciated Paradise Lost but wished it had space battles, readers seeking biblical retellings that aren’t afraid to add sci-fi elements, and those who enjoy lore-heavy universe building.
Final Verdict
Eric Adams has created an ambitious, energetic reimagining of divine conflict that successfully blends theological questions with science fiction spectacle. Torment of the Divine: Original Sin won’t work for readers seeking traditional religious narrative or pure science fiction, but for those comfortable with genre hybridity and complex worldbuilding, it offers a refreshingly different take on eternal questions about creation, rebellion, and the nature of darkness. The ending alone justifies the journey, delivering surprises that recontextualize everything preceding them. This is exactly the kind of bold debut that makes you eager to see where the author takes the mythology in future installments.
Grateful to NetGalley, Franklin Publishing Group LLC, and Eric Adams for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.
December 12, 2025
I really enjoyed "Torment of the Divine: Original Sin!" From the first page, I was hooked. Eric Adams takes Lucifer and Lilith and gives them new life, blending angels, demons, cosmic battles, and even a little science-fantasy into a story that feels big and personal at the same time.
Lucifer comes across as tragic, conflicted, and surprisingly human, and his relationship with Lilith adds a nice emotional layer. The action, intrigue, and moral dilemmas keep things moving, and the ending completely blew me away—I did not see that twist coming.
A really fun, fast read with great worldbuilding, flawed but compelling characters, and plenty of surprises.
Thank you to NetGalley, Eric Adams, and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Lucifer comes across as tragic, conflicted, and surprisingly human, and his relationship with Lilith adds a nice emotional layer. The action, intrigue, and moral dilemmas keep things moving, and the ending completely blew me away—I did not see that twist coming.
A really fun, fast read with great worldbuilding, flawed but compelling characters, and plenty of surprises.
Thank you to NetGalley, Eric Adams, and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
January 1, 2026
3.5⭐️
The concept and the storytelling was very interesting and engaging. There were moments where my jaw dropped from surprise and this book was not difficult to follow despite not knowing much about the Bible and the origins of Lucifer.
There were some punctuation/quotation errors in the arc/epub that I read but not so many as to ruin the experience of the story. I would recommend giving this book a try as it was a great and detailed experience despite being a shorter story.
The concept and the storytelling was very interesting and engaging. There were moments where my jaw dropped from surprise and this book was not difficult to follow despite not knowing much about the Bible and the origins of Lucifer.
There were some punctuation/quotation errors in the arc/epub that I read but not so many as to ruin the experience of the story. I would recommend giving this book a try as it was a great and detailed experience despite being a shorter story.
December 14, 2025
This story has me hooked from the (almost) beginning to end.
This story of God and Lucifer, good vs. evil, light vs. dark was full of action and emotion. I've never really considered Lilith's role in the story too much even though I knew of her existence.
A new take on the Original Sin and creation. I really enjoyed it.
Thank you NetGalley for the chance to review.
This story of God and Lucifer, good vs. evil, light vs. dark was full of action and emotion. I've never really considered Lilith's role in the story too much even though I knew of her existence.
A new take on the Original Sin and creation. I really enjoyed it.
Thank you NetGalley for the chance to review.
December 15, 2025
The cover art has my heart !!!
I bought a hardcover copy, just to admire. I love the imagery and the symbolism of the good and bad through black and white.
The color play has my heart.
The story in itself has immense potential, and I can't wait to see if this author has more to offer for this realm that he has created. Lucifer has always been an anti hero, the OG morally grey mc. And I will always have a soft spot for new takes on this old as earth prompt for story telling.
Cheers to Adams for executing this beauty and special shoutout to the cover artist.
I bought a hardcover copy, just to admire. I love the imagery and the symbolism of the good and bad through black and white.
The color play has my heart.
The story in itself has immense potential, and I can't wait to see if this author has more to offer for this realm that he has created. Lucifer has always been an anti hero, the OG morally grey mc. And I will always have a soft spot for new takes on this old as earth prompt for story telling.
Cheers to Adams for executing this beauty and special shoutout to the cover artist.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews