The stakes couldn’t be higher, and Schaller again proves adept at generating page-turning tension from her blend of the divine, the infernal, and the human. Winged and wielding hellfire, her heroes must dig up grit and ingenuity first to escape and then to prevail. Even Satan himself, one of many first-person point-of-view characters, is fully rounded and engaging as he faces a fascinating challenge: how to escape the wastelands of Purgatory, with or without the help of angels eager to kill him. Meanwhile, Lilith proves an arresting villain, her will and strength terrifying. Fantasies with a theological bent demand on-the-fly explanations of how their worlds work, and Schaller is deft at ensuring the sphere-prisons, rules for flying, and everything else make sense—and, crucially, connect to characters. (A glossary helps.)

For all the apocalyptic action and satisfying revelations of parentage and ancient secrets, the story’s heart is in its characters, their choices, and their connections. As in many of the strongest ongoing series, moments of reunion and parting prove as exciting as scenes of climactic combat. Especially strong here are the ones following the climax; the tears shed as angels and humans part feel earned.

Takeaway: This superior heaven-and-hell fantasy series comes to a satisfying (and epic) conclusion.

Great for fans of: Jackie Morse Kessler’s Hunger, Mary Ting’s From Gods.

Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A