I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

As the final battle between the forces of Heaven and Earth commences, an angel and a human must contend with developing feelings for others, and the terrifying new leader of the Humen sets his sights on a full invasion of Heaven in author Richard Harland’s “Ferren and the Invaders of Heaven,” the third book in the Ferren Trilogy. 

The Synopsis

In a retro-future world, the continents of our planet have been reduced to ruined wastelands after a thousand years of war between Heaven and Earth. The war began ten years on from our present time, when human medical scientists pushed over the boundary between life and death, resuscitated a human brain, discovered the reality of a Heavenly afterlife and ended up fighting against the angels. Now, Earth’s military forces are composed of artificially created Humen, while the original human beings have been reduced to a mere survival existence, living in fearful, isolated tribes.

Miriael is the angel who was shot down, fell to Earth and miraculously survived; Ferren is the young tribesman who found her. Together they’e been building a Residual Alliance of human tribes willing to cast off their slavish ‘alliance’ to the Humen and stand up for themselves.

In Ferren and the Invaders of Heaven, the Residual Alliance is almost ready to act when the Humen find themselves a new leader and act first. Asmodai is a traitor angel far more dangerous than any Humen ‘Doctor’, and brings his own special powers to reinforce the secret weapons of Earth’s armies. With Asmodai in charge, the Humen launch their long-planned invasion of Heaven.

Asmodai also has a particular interest in Miriael, who once fell in love with him. She has to untangle her new, human-like feelings, while Ferren has to sort out his own tangled feelings when Zonda reappears. Now he must deal with that past relationship while working through his new feelings for Kiet, which have become more than feelings of ordinary friendship.

The third book of the trilogy contains shocks and betrayals, a desperate pursuit, close encounters with the highest archangels, an amazing journey up to Heaven, and the wonders and terrors of terra-celestial warfare. The final battle in Heaven will be the turning point that decides the entire thousand-year war. But there are more twists to come before the end …

From the author of Worldshaker, an extraordinary dystopia of angels and apocalypse.

The Review

What a profound and exhilarating final chapter in this YA dystopian and fantasy series. The depth of world-building and the emotional beats that the author builds upon with this cast of characters was incredible to see come to life. Seeing Ferren grow and become the leader he was meant to be and seeing Miriael embracing humanity fully and leaning on each other while also dealing with their own personal turmoil was fascinating and emotionally invested as a reader.

The chilling nature and villainous charisma of Asmodai set a haunting tone for the novel, and his growing power and the threat of the Humen made this novel’s action and major battles easily flow. The heart of this novel, though, rested in the personal and in-depth connections these characters made with their own humanity, both for Miriael as she wrestled with her celestial identity and her life on Earth. For Ferren and his growing feelings for someone, as he tries to unite a broken world, all felt natural and authentic to their development. 

The Verdict

A rich, dynamic, and powerful read, author Richard Harland’s “Ferren and the Invaders of Heaven” is a must-read novel. As a centuries-long fight nears its end, the larger-than-life stakes and the shocking twists and turns the narrative takes, especially the fate of both heroes and villains alike, will stay with readers long after the emotional final page turns. If you haven’t yet, be sure to preorder your copy today or grab your copy on February 26th, 2025!

Rating: 10/10

About the Author

I’m the author who nearly wasn’t – it took me 25 years to beat writer’s block. In those 25 years, I migrated from England to Australia, became a singer/songwriter, a poet and a university lecturer. But all I wanted to do was write speculative fiction.

Finally I finished my first novel, the comic macabre, The Vicar of Morning Vyle. With its prequel, The Black Crusade, it grew into a cult. When mainstream Australian publisher Pan Macmillan contracted my next novel, I resigned my lectureship, and I’ve been a full-time author ever since.

I live south of Sydney between green escarpment and golden beaches, with partner Aileen and Yogi the labrador. Writing non-stop… I have 25 missing years to make up for!

My big international success has been with my YA steampunk novels, Worldshaker, Liberator and Song of the Slums (published by Simon & Schuster in the US).

Ferren and the Angel came out in November 2023. I swear it’s my best yet! An amazing retro-future world of angels and apocalypse!

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