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Ash Angels #3
A Mystery of Light
Ash Angels Book 3 of 3. Controlling, cruel fathers create cruel, psycho sons. With one evil gone, another more violent and insane than the last takes its place. On the run from the Ash Angel Organization on a mission to redeem Aclima, Helo doesn’t know of the danger until he’s dragged back into the war to face a threat with the power to destroy the Ash Angel Organization and turn the world into a living hell. Facing a being of unimaginable cruelty and power, Helo must solve a mystery within his own heart to keep darkness from overpowering the world.
- GenresUrban Fantasy
482 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 14, 2019
16 people are currently reading
37 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 19, 2020
This book was a mixed bag for me, just as the series has been. I really enjoyed the first book as it set up the wonderful premise and was very focused on Helo’s journey. Since then this series has felt like it was in a holding loop of sorts, constantly running through cycles of the same old thing happening over and over, but with just enough changing to keep me reading to the end.
I am glad this book is an ending of sorts as I am not sure how many more times I could see the following pattern play out:
Helo returns to the Ash Angels despite how they have acted poorly in the past. They continue to doubt him and everything he stands for, and he continues to take their abuse and punishment until he proves them wrong. Then they part ways temporarily, and it all happens all over again.
Talking of cyclical stories, the constant anger and forgiveness cycle with Scarlet was just annoying. Her lack of growth in this series shows why her story should have been finished in the first book. She has been unnecessary ever since.
Overall this wasn’t a bad book, it just fell into the trap of repetition. The famous line of “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results” certainly applies to this series; however the true insanity is that somehow those different results somehow materialised despite that repetitiveness.
Once again I have finished a Brian K Fuller series thinking that it could have been great if it didn’t get in its own way so much. When he’s on form he writes 5 star material, I just wish there could be more of it.
I am glad this book is an ending of sorts as I am not sure how many more times I could see the following pattern play out:
Helo returns to the Ash Angels despite how they have acted poorly in the past. They continue to doubt him and everything he stands for, and he continues to take their abuse and punishment until he proves them wrong. Then they part ways temporarily, and it all happens all over again.
Talking of cyclical stories, the constant anger and forgiveness cycle with Scarlet was just annoying. Her lack of growth in this series shows why her story should have been finished in the first book. She has been unnecessary ever since.
Overall this wasn’t a bad book, it just fell into the trap of repetition. The famous line of “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results” certainly applies to this series; however the true insanity is that somehow those different results somehow materialised despite that repetitiveness.
Once again I have finished a Brian K Fuller series thinking that it could have been great if it didn’t get in its own way so much. When he’s on form he writes 5 star material, I just wish there could be more of it.
June 16, 2019
"For every hurt, a hope; for every loss, a love; for every Satan, a savior."
Brian Fuller's conclusion novel titled A mystery of Light, wraps up the Ash Angels books that started with Dread Uprising. The ending of the series was fantastic and was wonderfully crafted. Throughout the series there were your standard fantasy feels of love and loss, hope and hardships, it tugged on more emotional heartstrings than I am comfortably willing to admit. If you have not read the first 2 books than be warned there might be spoilers in this review concerning those books, but I will leave book 3 unspoiled for everyone here. The story continues off after about 6 months after he reunited with Aclima and their first mission was to convert her back from the dread life. He is shortly thereafter embroiled in the war with the other dread loremasters and goes through another whirlwind adventure with much a similar cast of character as the 2nd book.
As with book 1 and 2, characters shine, continuing to grow and develop. It really is amazing, Fuller created a world and concept of people resurrecting and grow into these new "people" if you will. When Trace died and became Helo, Fuller crafted this development where the characters keep a part of who they are but also we as readers can see the changed that only becoming an ash angel could facilitate. Trace and Helo become almost 2 different people from the Very beginning to the very end but at the same time he is the same person that he always was. And to top it all off, Helo was not the only character that is was done to. It was all very brilliantly done. On top of that the new character he introduces (Example: Sparks and Finny in this book) have depth and have many dimensions of their personality.
The world and the story continued to drag me in with every word. Here, just like the others, the bad guys and really bad and the good guys are really good. It is mostly black and white. I do use the word 'mostly' here to emphasis that Fuller does throw gray in there here and now but for the most part you know who you are supposed to be rooting against (Hard to argue that point when it is Satan himself, huh?). That fact that there wasn't much gray did not deter me or ruin the experience at all, sometimes I think I loved it even more because of it.
Overall this series is amazing, and fantastic. At its core it is about overcoming ones own demons and self doubt. I recommend it to anyone interested in fantasy whatsoever, if you are not too interested in urban fantasy I would urge you to still give the first book a try. This is a series that I will proudly say will sit on my favorite shelf for a long time.
“It’s not the seed that matters,” she said. “It’s the fruit. That is how a tree is known. You’re not eight anymore. You are not Trace. You are Helo..... And while Legion may not fear justice or any man, by God, they will fear you!”
Brian Fuller's conclusion novel titled A mystery of Light, wraps up the Ash Angels books that started with Dread Uprising. The ending of the series was fantastic and was wonderfully crafted. Throughout the series there were your standard fantasy feels of love and loss, hope and hardships, it tugged on more emotional heartstrings than I am comfortably willing to admit. If you have not read the first 2 books than be warned there might be spoilers in this review concerning those books, but I will leave book 3 unspoiled for everyone here. The story continues off after about 6 months after he reunited with Aclima and their first mission was to convert her back from the dread life. He is shortly thereafter embroiled in the war with the other dread loremasters and goes through another whirlwind adventure with much a similar cast of character as the 2nd book.
As with book 1 and 2, characters shine, continuing to grow and develop. It really is amazing, Fuller created a world and concept of people resurrecting and grow into these new "people" if you will. When Trace died and became Helo, Fuller crafted this development where the characters keep a part of who they are but also we as readers can see the changed that only becoming an ash angel could facilitate. Trace and Helo become almost 2 different people from the Very beginning to the very end but at the same time he is the same person that he always was. And to top it all off, Helo was not the only character that is was done to. It was all very brilliantly done. On top of that the new character he introduces (Example: Sparks and Finny in this book) have depth and have many dimensions of their personality.
The world and the story continued to drag me in with every word. Here, just like the others, the bad guys and really bad and the good guys are really good. It is mostly black and white. I do use the word 'mostly' here to emphasis that Fuller does throw gray in there here and now but for the most part you know who you are supposed to be rooting against (Hard to argue that point when it is Satan himself, huh?). That fact that there wasn't much gray did not deter me or ruin the experience at all, sometimes I think I loved it even more because of it.
Overall this series is amazing, and fantastic. At its core it is about overcoming ones own demons and self doubt. I recommend it to anyone interested in fantasy whatsoever, if you are not too interested in urban fantasy I would urge you to still give the first book a try. This is a series that I will proudly say will sit on my favorite shelf for a long time.
“It’s not the seed that matters,” she said. “It’s the fruit. That is how a tree is known. You’re not eight anymore. You are not Trace. You are Helo..... And while Legion may not fear justice or any man, by God, they will fear you!”
August 23, 2022
I found this book hard to finish. Gone are any sort of character development, and introduced in its place is an over powered super hero fighting a super villain.
The complexity of the characters in the first book are completely gone. The Ash Angles Organization is nearly wiped out, and it has basically become a small gorilla group hitting the enemy. However, we skip most of that and just arrive at the end, at the beginning of the final fight. Our protagonist has just about every blessing possible and can now share blessings. He is so over powered by this point, the enemy should be simply wiped out by a thought.
Of course, the antagonist is equally over powered, because like scaling in a video game, when you become more powerful, so does the opponent. Somehow, this, as well as the sweeping changes in people and crime statistics, make this story about magic dead people getting super powers from God to be no longer believable.
This has all gotten to be a bit absurd. Whole cities full of violent crimes and people with no memories, fights, school busses of children being killed. It's too much. The first books about everything being on the dl, don't involve normal people, etc, seemed reasonable. This is just over the top.
The forced love triangle with Scarlett, as well, has dragged on too long.
The voice narration, is one again, very well done. RC Bray does a great job and I really enjoy listening to him.
All in all, I'm glad this series is at an end. It started out amazing, then as the crazy has escalated through the series, the book quality has gone down. It is definitely time to end the series. Maybe a spinoff, with another character, or in another country could work, but definitely Helo's journey should be put to rest.
The complexity of the characters in the first book are completely gone. The Ash Angles Organization is nearly wiped out, and it has basically become a small gorilla group hitting the enemy. However, we skip most of that and just arrive at the end, at the beginning of the final fight. Our protagonist has just about every blessing possible and can now share blessings. He is so over powered by this point, the enemy should be simply wiped out by a thought.
Of course, the antagonist is equally over powered, because like scaling in a video game, when you become more powerful, so does the opponent. Somehow, this, as well as the sweeping changes in people and crime statistics, make this story about magic dead people getting super powers from God to be no longer believable.
This has all gotten to be a bit absurd. Whole cities full of violent crimes and people with no memories, fights, school busses of children being killed. It's too much. The first books about everything being on the dl, don't involve normal people, etc, seemed reasonable. This is just over the top.
The forced love triangle with Scarlett, as well, has dragged on too long.
The voice narration, is one again, very well done. RC Bray does a great job and I really enjoy listening to him.
All in all, I'm glad this series is at an end. It started out amazing, then as the crazy has escalated through the series, the book quality has gone down. It is definitely time to end the series. Maybe a spinoff, with another character, or in another country could work, but definitely Helo's journey should be put to rest.
May 6, 2021
Great characters and enthralling story
I enjoyed this series, but I admit that the implications of the ‘Christian magic’ always made me feel a little uncomfortable - as in it’s implied that creationism is somehow true in this universe, and Christianity is the right religion and so on, which comes across as a little weird. Despite this, the story is a lot of fun regardless of your religious beliefs.
I enjoyed this series, but I admit that the implications of the ‘Christian magic’ always made me feel a little uncomfortable - as in it’s implied that creationism is somehow true in this universe, and Christianity is the right religion and so on, which comes across as a little weird. Despite this, the story is a lot of fun regardless of your religious beliefs.
May 25, 2022
I really wish for this series to continue. Entertaining, funny, and action-packed. Add a good bit humor and you have this series. Recommended for everyone.
September 20, 2022
Nice conclusion to the trilogy.
June 25, 2019
Stunning
I read hundreds of books a year and this might be one of my all time favorite series. I cannot stop thinking about it even days later.
I read hundreds of books a year and this might be one of my all time favorite series. I cannot stop thinking about it even days later.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews