The Defiance

The Delusion #3

by Laura Gallier

Four months after the deadly overlord, Molek, has been banished beyond the city limits of Masonville, Texas, Owen Edmonds' crucial mission to save lives escalates when seven Cosmic Rulers of darkness close in to decimate his town. With the backing of mighty Watchmen, Owen works to expose and counteract the demonic invaders' schemes, but his efforts are met with strong resistance, especially as powers of witchcraft are loosed against him. Owen finds the strength to persevere, even as the stakes rise to an all-time high, but it's then that he and the love of his life, Ray Anne, are both confronted by their most dreaded, longstanding fears--a strategic move by the enemy. As the battle between good and evil culminates in an epic standoff, Owen and Ray Anne must make the decision of a lifetime: will they face their fears or run?

Genres: Christian Fiction, Fiction, Fantasy, Audiobook, Young Adult

281 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 6, 2020

About the author

In a youth culture intrigued by the paranormal yet often skeptical of biblical claims, Laura Gallier seeks to bring awareness and understanding to issues surrounding the supernatural. Having battled her own enemies of the soul throughout her teen and young adult years, she is on a mission to expose deception with the light of truth, bringing hope and healing to a generation in need. Laura lives in the greater Houston area with her husband, Patrick, and their three children. Get to know Laura better at www.lauragallier.com.

Reviews

[Oceana Reads Co. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yeah…not nearly as good as books 1&2. I feel like the plot was a rushed *mess* ah I’m sorry!! I just didn’t like it that much :( I did like parts of the ending.
But I wish some adults were more involved and spiritually mature enough to contribute.
I would still definitely read The Delusion. By far the best in the trilogy.

[Shelley Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

Defiance is a terrific conclusion to the Delusion trilogy, a supernatural, Christian series, I’m delighted I came across. The first portion of this story felt a bit much to me-very dark, highly and imaginatively descriptive, and I wasn’t sure where it was going and how it would unfold. But as the plot progressed, things came together beautifully and the conclusion was powerful, impactful, and inspirational.

There is a lot to this trilogy. A lot to think about and consider, content of great import. It’s definitely a series I won’t soon forget.

[Kyera Brewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again, Laura has done it. I recommend this series to EVERYONE. GO read them!
Jesus loves you!

[Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 Stars 🌟

I just know that I can't do this book justice in words. I could sing happy music straight from my soul but no one can hear that sweet music.

All I can do is tell anyone reading this review to read the entire series. It will change how you see the world around you and open your eyes to the power of God our loving father 🩷

I'm truly thankful to have read this series, you will be too 😊

[Leila]

I read this series when I was very young and I absolutely adore it,however, now that I've matured... I no longer agree with its content.
I won't be recommending this series personally.

[Makenzie :) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again, Gallier delivers an incredible supernatural novel telling the story of the very real battle of good and evil that exists in our world. She does an amazing job revealing how that good and evil could be personified, as well as the hold evil can have on us all. This story will totally creep you out, but yet move you to decide whose side are you on. It's filled with unthinkable darkness and sorrow, yet offers a very real hope as Owen and Ray Anne battle evil's darkest forces.

"The Defiance" also reminds us of other themes, like to react with faith and not doubt; "stay focused on Scripture, especially the red-letter text"; evil deserves no mercy; faith is liberating; dealing with neglect and abandonment; if we call out to God, He will always answer; and if we come together to fight for good, we are an incredible power ("Seek out and band together with those chosen by God and destined to believe your account and join you in the mission. Together, the handful of you can turn this town around and overturn evil.")

This is for sure one of my favorite series! Gallier is a fantastic author, and I really hope we will get more fiction from her whether it be add ons to the Delusion series or something entirely different! All the spiritual aspects of this book are incredibly thought-provoking, and a great conversation starter.

It gets 5 stars simply because of how much it made me think. This book talks a lot about suicide but also explains the feelings and emotions of being suicidal. It made my heart hurt for sure and definitely made me sad BUT overall the series was good. This book also had a lot to do with witchcraft which is not a topic that ever gets wrote about or even talked about. I think that Laura Gallier did an amazing job at addressing all the topics and issues that we deal with in this fallen world we live in.

All I can do is tell anyone reading this review to read the entire series. It will change how you see the world around you and open your eyes to the power of God our loving Father!!
I'm truly thankful to have read this series, you will be too!! ✨Happy Reading✨ JYL💗

[CR · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off I am not Christian, I am so far from being Christian that I don't even know how to describe it. So keep that in mind. But that being said I enjoyed this story so much. This battle of good vs. evil reminded me of things like The Stand. I enjoyed the bits of Scripture in the story. I think that those who are not Christian might enjoy this one but those who are will most likely extremely enjoy it.

[Sara Wise · Rating 5 out of 5]

** “There are no coincidences in spirt-realm operations on either side of the kingdom equation, light or dark.” **

** “That’s what evil does — pinpoints our soul’s deepest wound, then brutalizes it with lies.” **

Wow, just wow. That’s all I can say about “The Defiance” by Laura Gallier, a story of supernatural battle on the grandest level.

As the spiritual battle for Masonville, Texas, and the entire world continues, Owen and Ray Anne, who are both spirit-world sensors who can see hideous creatures and situations as well as heavenly beings, continue to fight the evil forces attacking their town. As the Lord of Death Molek continues to gain strength after being banished, and the seven evil Cosmic Rulers gain strength, Owen and Ray Anne race to stop another horrific event, all while being attacked on very personal levels.

Once again, Gallier delivers an incredible supernatural novel telling the story of the very real battle of good and evil that exists in our world. She does an amazing job revealing how that good and evil could be personified, as well as the hold evil can have on us all.

This story will totally creep you out, but yet move you to decide whose side are you on. It’s filled with unthinkable darkness and sorrow, yet offers a very real hope as Owen and Ray Anne battle evil’s darkest forces.

“The Defiance” also reminds us of other themes, like to react with faith and not doubt; “stay focused on Scripture, especially the red-letter text”; evil deserves no mercy; faith is liberating; dealing with neglect and abandonment; if we call out to God, He will always answer; and if we come together to fight for good, we are an incredible power (“Seek out and band together with those chosen by God and destined to believe your account and join you in the mission. Together, the handful of you can turn this town around and overturn evil.”)

This story reminds us that God’s forces — forces for good — are always fighting for us. “Hand-to-hand combat had it’s place between Watchmen and Creepers, but apparently there were other ways to inflict damage on the kingdom of darkness. The way I now saw it, (the evil forces) had recently unleashed heightened, cosmic evil on Masonville, but heaven wasn’t just sitting idly by, tolerating it. God’s forces were ramping up the fight too.”

Fans of Frank Peretti or Robert Liparulo’s Dreamhouse Kings series will love “The Defiance.” This is definitely not a standalone novel, as I highly recommend you read the first two novels in the series to understand the plot line.

Five stars out of five.

Wander, an imprint of Tyndale House Publishers, provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

[Nora St Laurent · Rating 4 out of 5]

This author does an incredible job of giving readers peek behind the veil of night and see what the human eye can’t She brings the spiritual battle to life as Owen Edmond’s fights the battle not just for his life but for everyone in the city limits of Masonville, Texas. Through his battles in books one and two he learns to fight the enemy on a whole new level. This new novel opened up my eyes to things I hadn’t thought of before like how. I saw what to be aware of and how I could be set free the things that bond me. (similar to author Frank Pereetti books but more in-depth).

Owen has a heightened awareness of the spiritual world, how far reaching it is and how to get others to help in the battle raging around them. We’ve seen this struggle/battle as everyone has had their own battles in 2020. It made this novel even more fascinating as the author shows readers the darkness that is hidden in plain sight and how these forces plague humankind.

If you have not read books one and two the author catches readers up to speed, so you do not feel lost as to who is who in the story. For an in-depth explanation I highly recommend reading books one and two before and/or after this one)

The author is currently seeking the funds to make this series into a movie. It will be frightful to watch, google the trailer this author has made for the movie.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog www.bookfun.org

[Kinsey Breland .: avid_midnight_reader :. · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the first and second books of this series, Owen was struggling with his faith and trying to stay on the right path with God. It was kind of nice to see Ray Anne being the one to struggle with this for a change, but on the flip side, it didn’t feel right that she wasn’t there when Owen faced up against the villains at the end. She had been by his side for everything up to that point, and it was weird to not have her there for the climax. I am glad that Owen seemed to have gotten over his jealousy with Ethan though, and they can be on more friendlier terms going forward.

[Faith · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fight continues.

Owen and Ray Anne have dealt Molek a small defeat, but he is gathering his strength again and the whole world is at stake.

A great addition to the series, and this is definitely a series you will want to read in order as the plot draws heavily on past events and knowledge. The third in the series, and I'm not sure if more books are forthcoming or not, but if there are, I will read them. I love how the author continues to ramp it up and take each book up a notch, raising the stakes. I think that the author does a fantastic job of showing the struggles and doubts that we face even after becoming Christians, in a way that is realistic and all too true.

I liked where this book went with the characters, and how far they have come over the overall arc of the story. Owen is focused on fighting the righteous fight, but he still struggles with distractions and strife. I liked his drive to help others, he is a hero you want to cheer for, and his flaws are all too familiar, which only makes him more compelling.

Overall, an action packed read, compelling, with high stakes and with danger that will chill your spine with its reality. A fantastic speculative thriller, I didn't want to put it down. In some ways this book brings everything full circle, but in other ways it only opens more questions. A satisfying read, I can't wait to see what it next!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Melanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

The Defiance was an okay read. I originally started reading this book years ago, but was having a difficult time getting into it, so I put it aside. I recently picked it back up because I borrowed the audiobook and was hoping that would help me. I will say that format made it a quick read - even if the spiritual warfare element was a little difficult to listen to at times, as it made it a slightly heavy/dark read.

I liked how we got to know Owen and Ray Anne more in this book. The ending was really good and I'm happy with most of it. I liked how the story had some twists and I wasn't expecting one of them at all.

I'm not sure if this is the end of the series, but if so it was a good conclusion. If you enjoy books with spiritual warfare, this one was written well...definitely read the series in order, though.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

[Monique the Book Geek · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed and didn't really want this book to end and look forward to the continuation of this series.

[Kelsie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Defiance by Laura Gallier is the last of the author's "The Deception" series. The poor teenagers in these novels experience spiritual warfare in the physical sense. They see it, and it can affect their bodies. However, as the Lord chose them to be the town's defenders, only they can see the chaos surrounding Madisonville. This book explores spiritual warfare even further than the last two--identifying the seven "Cosmic Rulers" and demonstrating the power they can have over ordinary people.

Owen and Ray Anne must stop them from succeeding, or the entire United States could be in trouble. Whoever thought Madisonville, Texas would be so important? Doubts, however, begin to creep in for Ray Anne. The demons find her weakness--her kindness--and actually begin to manipulate it. It starts small but grows larger...and larger...and larger until it multiplies. Soon, Ray Anne finds herself at odds with Owen, who like Ray Anne in the first book, tires to tell her what she's doing is wrong. Ray Anne, on the other hand, is too blinded and too deafened to notice what she's doing.

Once again, Laura Gallier kept me on the edge of my seat with The Defiance. It's fast-paced, with high stakes, and I definitely read it when I should've been studying...or sleeping...or cleaning. Maybe I should rephrase--I read The Defiance when I should have been doing anything that could be categorized as "adulting." Madisonville offered me an escape from my own problems. Even if I didn't know its exactly conclusion, I figured I could surmise from what I knew of the power of God. Good would prevail; it was only a matter of how fast and how many lives would be torn apart in the process.

This novel demonstrated how even long-time Christians can be vulnerable to the devil's manipulation. I think many of us can become prideful in our "strong" faith. We think we're invincible, but Satan is crafty. He knows our faults perhaps even better than we do. The Defiance by Laura Gallier, too, notes how the devil's minions can also take people out of the equation. Not kill them, just...move them someplace else so they can no longer influence, which is a discomforting thought. The book, too, also stresses how important it is to overcome our differences. We're all members of the body of Christ; we have different gifts and different callings in the Lord. But, ultimately, we all need each other. A finger is worthless without the arm, a leg without the hip, a brain without the heart.

I thoroughly enjoyed "The Deception" series. Did it give me chills? Yes. Would I recommend it? Yes, with some fine print. Would I read it again? Absolutely. I invite you all to travel to Madisonville, Texas for quite the harrowing adventure. When I finished the series, I did so with a new vision of spiritual warfare. If you step into this with an open mind, I believe you will, too.

*Note: I was given a free copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

[Fatima Halilu · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best book in the series, a really great spiritual warfare book series. I’m so glad she’s working on a book 4, I can’t wait!!!!!

[Sarah Ingram · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this series. I know that, theologically, it’s taken some liberties, but not offensively so, in my opinion. I felt it gave a good depiction of the spiritual battle and how we can mistakenly bring extra burdens and temptation into our lives by compromising in ways that seem so inconsequential. I suggested it to my 15 year old who has struggled off and on with her spiritual growth and compromise. She’s at a place in life where her faith is in the process of really becoming her own. I have expectations of behavior, but know that she must own her choices and consider what she truly wants to be. She read it and LOVED it!!! I was afraid she would shy away from it, but she’s on the 2nd book and is really enjoying it!

[Lacy Martinez · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite series. Gallier is a fantastic author, and I really hope we will get more fiction from her whether it be add ons to the Delusion series or something entirely different! Owen is very deep and relatable with good character development. His relationship with Ray Anne is incredibly sweet, pure, and well written. I absolutely loved the scene of the two of them by the lakeside together. All the spiritual aspects of this book are incredibly thought-provoking, and probably more realistic than we might think.

[Shana Whiteman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best trilogies I’ve read. Intense, frustrating at time, hopeful, eye opening. For a split second, I was sad about how it ended (some things left unanswered), but then I remembered the battle of good and evil, light and dark, will carry on until Satan is cast into outer darkness forever.

These books deal with multiple issues that we all (“chained people” and even “lights”) face everyday and how difficult it is to let things go and trust God 100%, but even though our stubbornness and doubt, He loves us so much.

Highly recommend.

[Alison B · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thrilling third book of the author's series, The Defiance feels like a crashing culmination of the first two. The struggles are strong and the discovery of faith applied and love spoken make the difference in the life of the main character. The imagery is certainly dark and perhaps a little too wordy in description of the Creepers and witch like projections at times. You might want to avoid reading this before bed! Yet the imagery and power demonstrated for the Watchmen counterbalanced it. Looking forward to the fourth book and the movie that are in process!

[Tina Transformation · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Defiance (part of The Delusion series) is hands down one of the best series I’ve ever read! The intensity, depth, and twists kept me hooked from start to finish. Every page is packed with suspense and emotion, and the way the story unfolds is absolutely captivating. The characters and their journey are unforgettable, and the series masterfully blends mystery, action, and deeper themes that resonate long after you’ve finished. It’s gripping, thought-provoking, and impossible to put down—a series that stays with you forever.

[FeFe · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOOO
10/10 AWESOME series for believers and unbelievers. Totally get your friends to read this!
While I’m not saying everything is biblically accurate (and I don’t believe the author intended things to be) this book gives a good visualizer for the realness and complete evilness of the devil/sin and the way he tempts us. And also of the glory of God and how he saves and loves us.
God be with you all ❤️

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

All I can say is I gifted this series to my son (13) & daughter (16) this past Christmas and my son & I have read all 3 books! He was inquisitive about things he wasn't sure of and I am proud of him for asking. This is a great series to help understand the fight between good & evil. I higher recommend!

[Dan Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the series. Similar to Frank Peretti's This Present Darkness, Laura Gallier captures the essence of the activity that we know is going on around us. Sometimes, the story resulted in giving a bit too much power to the demonic entities who have been completely defeated in Christ but overall a really enjoyable read.

[Chae Marie♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

this one gets 5 stars simply because of how much it made me cry. now, this book also talks about suicide but also explains the feelings and emotions of being suicidal. literally made my heart hurt and definitely made me sad BUT overall the series was good. i’m not into spiritual stuff so this was definitely out of my normal realm of reading but i enjoyed it.

[Briana Stoneham · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need to meet the writer TODAY 😩
This book is beyond words, the way it was so beautifully written made me look at myself and all of my flaws and how God can still use someone like me in all of my crap. It highlights how God is ALWAYS there and uses the disqualified because they are more qualified then ever…this book was convicting and so CLEAR. If I can give 6 stars I would

[Stacey Morcos · Rating 5 out of 5]

SO GOOD

SO AMAZING AND WRITTEN SO WELL COULDN’T PUT THE BOOK DOWN!! Felt God so much as I read through this book and this opened my mind to do much more. If someone can write with this creativity how much more the creator of the universe.

[Burk · Rating 2 out of 5]

A real disappointment. While the second in the series wasn't anything to write home about, this one was a total dud. More like a wannabe Marvel comic.

[Chloe · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kinda boring compared to the other two in the series

[Shari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Olivia received this for her 15th birthday. She loves this series!

[Paige · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 🌟