What do you think?
Rate this book
The Last Angel
She was the biggest angel Tommy had ever seen. Seven feet tall with broad shoulders and massive wings. It wasn’t until he killed her that he realized she was different. She didn’t have claws. Or fangs. And she was beautiful, the kind of beauty that made you want to grab your rosary and a drink and thank God you were still alive.
It had been a hundred years since the Storms had nearly wiped out humanity and turned the world into a desolate wasteland. Worse, the angels had come with them. Fanged creatures that terrorized what was left of the human race. If you had the skill, if you could stop your hands from shaking, they could be killed. Most people didn’t have the skill. Most people let the ugly get to them.
Tommy wasn’t most people.
He’d tired of the rat race in the city, the pontificating pollies and their bureaucratic interference that had put too many of his fellow soldiers in the morgue. He’d left that for his hometown, content to raise his little girl, certain that his fighting days were over.
But when the creature had swooped down out of the red sun and slaughtered eleven people, including his daughter, everything changed. The town made him Sheriff because they were scared. Because they knew he could kill them.
But now, he wasn’t sure. The giant angel was dead, courtesy of his sawed off shotgun, the same gun he now pointed at the child standing beside the body. No claws. No fangs. Just like her mother. Just like his daughter.
Tommy paused, then raised his gun.
It had been a hundred years since the Storms had nearly wiped out humanity and turned the world into a desolate wasteland. Worse, the angels had come with them. Fanged creatures that terrorized what was left of the human race. If you had the skill, if you could stop your hands from shaking, they could be killed. Most people didn’t have the skill. Most people let the ugly get to them.
Tommy wasn’t most people.
He’d tired of the rat race in the city, the pontificating pollies and their bureaucratic interference that had put too many of his fellow soldiers in the morgue. He’d left that for his hometown, content to raise his little girl, certain that his fighting days were over.
But when the creature had swooped down out of the red sun and slaughtered eleven people, including his daughter, everything changed. The town made him Sheriff because they were scared. Because they knew he could kill them.
But now, he wasn’t sure. The giant angel was dead, courtesy of his sawed off shotgun, the same gun he now pointed at the child standing beside the body. No claws. No fangs. Just like her mother. Just like his daughter.
Tommy paused, then raised his gun.
284 pages, Paperback
Published December 24, 2015
1 person is currently reading
12 people want to read
About the author
Stephen R. Burns
4 books5 followersStephen R. Burns grew up in a small town in Southern Ontario. He penned his first story when he was ten, and has been writing ever since.
He spent his career working with special needs kids and coaching. His latest novel: Fever Dreams: The Final Ride of Caitlin Clark is due out in November.
He spent his career working with special needs kids and coaching. His latest novel: Fever Dreams: The Final Ride of Caitlin Clark is due out in November.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
January 1, 2016
3.5 stars
I'll start by saying I do not normally read books of this genre of fiction. It took some getting used to and there are fantastical things that happened in the book that I still wonder about - i.e., "Is this normal for this genre? Am I supposed to just accept that that happened?" That said, as I was approaching the end of the book, it dawned on me that the author had created a complicated world and a rich tapestry of characters. I didn't quite notice this while I was reading it but somehow, at the end of the book, as the plot was being tied together, I came to appreciate the richness of the world that was created.
There is a lot of imagination required to write a story like this. There were times while I was reading the book when I asked myself "how did the writer come up with this?" or "how would he have thought of something like this?" Very creative. (I don't want to give spoilers so I won't mention any specifics.)
At times, I was confused by certain events. Perhaps it was the action sequences - things happened very quickly and I sometimes didn't catch on. It felt almost jarring to me as a reader. (To give you an idea of my headspace coming into this book, the book I read prior to this was "All The Light We Cannot See", which is a totally different genre and very different pace.)
Overall, this was an enjoyable read and I look forward to reading more in this series.
I'll start by saying I do not normally read books of this genre of fiction. It took some getting used to and there are fantastical things that happened in the book that I still wonder about - i.e., "Is this normal for this genre? Am I supposed to just accept that that happened?" That said, as I was approaching the end of the book, it dawned on me that the author had created a complicated world and a rich tapestry of characters. I didn't quite notice this while I was reading it but somehow, at the end of the book, as the plot was being tied together, I came to appreciate the richness of the world that was created.
There is a lot of imagination required to write a story like this. There were times while I was reading the book when I asked myself "how did the writer come up with this?" or "how would he have thought of something like this?" Very creative. (I don't want to give spoilers so I won't mention any specifics.)
At times, I was confused by certain events. Perhaps it was the action sequences - things happened very quickly and I sometimes didn't catch on. It felt almost jarring to me as a reader. (To give you an idea of my headspace coming into this book, the book I read prior to this was "All The Light We Cannot See", which is a totally different genre and very different pace.)
Overall, this was an enjoyable read and I look forward to reading more in this series.
January 26, 2016
The Last Angel is a very fun read! I love the characters and the unique world they live in. The whole concept is very creative and you can imagine the amount of story that exists behind each element. The story told is quite a thrill of action and adventure that I couldn't put down. I feel like this book is just the tip of the iceberg for an epic series and for the author's talent! I'm highly anticipating the next Desolate Kingdom book.
February 9, 2016
Full disclosure: Stephen is a best friend. Also: I'm a discriminating reader and read widely across genres: from Sanderson to Atwood to non-fiction to theological tomes. The Last Angel was quite unlike anything I've ever read - and I loved it.
Frankly, I'm not used to reading "page-turners;" that's what The Last Angel is. I'm not used to encountering deep, contemporary theological questions about the nature of God in a novel; that's what The Last Angel does. I'm not used to loving a world so much that I wished the book weren't over and can't wait for the next one; again: The Last Angel.
The writing style is fast-paced, but doesn't sacrifice on richness: you get the sense that this is a deep world and the characters have a thick backstory. Something happened decades ago that shaped the setting and moulded the people, and you just want to find out everything you can about it. Steve does not disappoint: he slowly time-releases this information exactly when it suits the plot and gives the reader a jolt of surprise.
From Tommy and Kallie, to the Nephilim and even (unexpectedly) the Ganath and supporting characters, everyone is important and unique - no character feels "tropey," but rather imbued with their own emotions and motivations. This serves the action well, as we're never quite sure what to expect - but when the characters act, it's because they're being true to the selves that we're discovering as readers methodically throughout the story.
'Loved the author's iconoclastic questions about God. You get a sense of his wrestling with traditional pat answers about God - and it's fun that he puts those struggles in the mouths of authoritative "angelic" characters such as the Nephilim and the Ganath. These are not trivial pop-neo-athiest or evangelical stereotypes. The creatures in this book have the same questions we do about God in a world like ours, but they know just a little more about "Father" by proximity. And what they say about him makes sense.
In short: I ripped through this book, reading it whenever I had spare time - even just a few pages at a time if the minutes allowed. I didn't want to leave the world - and can't wait to get back to it in Book II. This is a fast-moving, action-packed, theology-filled thrill. I haven't had so much fun reading a novel in years.
Frankly, I'm not used to reading "page-turners;" that's what The Last Angel is. I'm not used to encountering deep, contemporary theological questions about the nature of God in a novel; that's what The Last Angel does. I'm not used to loving a world so much that I wished the book weren't over and can't wait for the next one; again: The Last Angel.
The writing style is fast-paced, but doesn't sacrifice on richness: you get the sense that this is a deep world and the characters have a thick backstory. Something happened decades ago that shaped the setting and moulded the people, and you just want to find out everything you can about it. Steve does not disappoint: he slowly time-releases this information exactly when it suits the plot and gives the reader a jolt of surprise.
From Tommy and Kallie, to the Nephilim and even (unexpectedly) the Ganath and supporting characters, everyone is important and unique - no character feels "tropey," but rather imbued with their own emotions and motivations. This serves the action well, as we're never quite sure what to expect - but when the characters act, it's because they're being true to the selves that we're discovering as readers methodically throughout the story.
'Loved the author's iconoclastic questions about God. You get a sense of his wrestling with traditional pat answers about God - and it's fun that he puts those struggles in the mouths of authoritative "angelic" characters such as the Nephilim and the Ganath. These are not trivial pop-neo-athiest or evangelical stereotypes. The creatures in this book have the same questions we do about God in a world like ours, but they know just a little more about "Father" by proximity. And what they say about him makes sense.
In short: I ripped through this book, reading it whenever I had spare time - even just a few pages at a time if the minutes allowed. I didn't want to leave the world - and can't wait to get back to it in Book II. This is a fast-moving, action-packed, theology-filled thrill. I haven't had so much fun reading a novel in years.
January 7, 2016
This is one of those books you don't want to put down till your done...then you're mad cause it's over. I loved the characters and felt like I had really gotten to know them. I really enjoyed where this book takes me, both the world and characters were real to me and left me not wanting to leave. Thanks Stephen R. Burns for giving me another world to explore, keep them coming.
January 16, 2016
Fantastic storytelling about a unique apocalyptic world with well-developed, complex and believable characters. It grabbed my attention from the start and was hard for me to put down. A compelling story that displays the hopeful possibilities human nature carries and our dark potential. I immensely enjoyed this book and looking forward to the rest of the series.
December 31, 2015
The book is fast paced and kept me wanting to read more. The setting and main story-line are engaging and intriguing.
Overall it was a good read; I enjoyed it and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series
Overall it was a good read; I enjoyed it and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series
December 4, 2015
Great read, I didn't want to put it down! I can't wait for the next one!!
December 31, 2015
A great read! Great characters, love the storyline, can't wait for the next one.
February 14, 2016
This is an interesting and fast-paced story. There is no data dump (which happens often when authors tried to paint their "world"). Even though this is the first book of the triology, there is no cliff hanger at the end. Towards the later half of the story, you'll know there will be new developments coming, but nothing that will dragged you to line up for the next book. Despite the title, to me, this story doesn't carry a religious theme. I felt that the author used the terminologies to provoke the readers. Honestly, if you have no feelings about what you've read, then it's just a total waste of time. Might as well spent your time watching grass grow!
When Tommy killed the "most powerful" angel with a shot, I have questions. It's either the angel's power is over-rated, or the shotgun is a new design by Tommy for his revenge towards the angel kind. Nope, only a blurp about the modification of the gun, and that's it. A powerful being as such cannot heal herself?? Maybe not instantly, but........ This can have a great potential for future development and different spin of the yarn. This also goes towards the end when Tommy & Kallie got unexected assistance. Other than indicating the leader is "BAD" and "doing the wrong things", not much drama is there, but maybe we'll find out in the next book.
Thus, this is a simple tale about good verses bad. It leaves me wonder if the next two in the triology will have more complexities in the stories, or will they be another Day's Read. That being said, the story is creative and the writing is fluid. I enjoyed the story, short and sweet. I'm not sure what I'm anticipating. The best way I can describe it is like tasting a dish. It's good and you like it, but it's lacking some spice to push it from just good to outstanding.
If you are like me, always looking for new reading materials, The Last Angel is worth a try. Happy reading everyone!
When Tommy killed the "most powerful" angel with a shot, I have questions. It's either the angel's power is over-rated, or the shotgun is a new design by Tommy for his revenge towards the angel kind. Nope, only a blurp about the modification of the gun, and that's it. A powerful being as such cannot heal herself?? Maybe not instantly, but........ This can have a great potential for future development and different spin of the yarn. This also goes towards the end when Tommy & Kallie got unexected assistance. Other than indicating the leader is "BAD" and "doing the wrong things", not much drama is there, but maybe we'll find out in the next book.
Thus, this is a simple tale about good verses bad. It leaves me wonder if the next two in the triology will have more complexities in the stories, or will they be another Day's Read. That being said, the story is creative and the writing is fluid. I enjoyed the story, short and sweet. I'm not sure what I'm anticipating. The best way I can describe it is like tasting a dish. It's good and you like it, but it's lacking some spice to push it from just good to outstanding.
If you are like me, always looking for new reading materials, The Last Angel is worth a try. Happy reading everyone!
February 8, 2016
Burns does an amazing job with his unique characters and storyline. Each character is so strong, well-developed and believable that I found myself drawn to them right from the beginning. I particularly enjoyed how both of his lead characters were equally valid and strong even though one was male and one was female. They both exhibited strength and stamina. It really shows equality through the ages. He uses rich descriptions and strong narrative to keep things fast paced. I found myself turning page after page waiting to see what was coming. His storyline was very unique and unpredictable. If you think you have it figured out, just wait, there are so many twists and turns and unexpected circumstances things just keep flowing. There is so much creativity in the world he has created and even though it is nothing like the way our world is today, it is easy to picture it through his words.
Read the rest of my review on my blog .... http://www.sarahsbookcorner.blogspot....
February 6, 2016
I really enjoyed this. The character's were in depth and believable, especially for a fantasy novel. This novel was unique, fast paste and entertaining the whole time. I can't wait to read the next one.
January 15, 2016
Well, if I didn't like it, I probably shouldn't have written it. Ha! Hope everyone enjoys it. :)
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews