They Who Fell
by Kevin Kneupper
fantasy/urban fantasy
5 Stars
The world isn’t always as it seems…sometimes
it’s scarier.
Jana understands just how precarious the
world inside the Perch is. As a slave, doing the wrong thing, speaking out of
turn or just looking her angel keepers in the eye could all result in a harsh
punishment or ultimately death. Living in fear is second nature, but being frightened
all the time serves as motivation. She wants to survive.
William Holt lives outside the Perch,
fighting daily with others in his cell to destroy the angels and reclaim what’s
left of the world for the dwindling human population. Nothing will stop him: not
the Vichies, humans that have pledged themselves to the angels but prey on
weaker humans, not the unexpected creatures now roaming the Earth, and
especially not the debauched angels themselves.
Holy awesome surprise! Mr. Kneupper hooked
me with the first chapter and kept me turning pages until I finished the book
in one sitting. Excellent writing, great characterization and a phenomenal plot
landed They Who Fell at a solid 5 star rating. I wanted to read the next
installment immediately. Since I couldn’t (hasn’t been released yet) I spent
the next couple of days thinking about the story.
By turning the traditionally ingrained
idea of benevolent angles on its head and creating a plausible set of circumstances,
I seriously questioned what would happen if a second heavenly fall occurred.
Would the angels I’ve viewed as guardians become my worst nightmare? Would God
turn his back on all of His creations and let the outcome be determined by the
players themselves?
No matter a person’s religious belief,
Mr. Kneupper’s world is well-developed and scarier than hell. I would never
want to experience that kind of existence firsthand, but I’ll gladly immerse
myself in the next story of this trilogy!
*author ecopy provided for honest review
