STARRED Book Review: Ferren and the Angel

Reviewed by Alexandria Ducksworth

A fast-paced and engaging dystopian fantasy with loads of fascinating lore

What will happen in the next thousand years? Some people believe there will be significant alterations, some that it will be eerily similar, and others think there will be no Earth at all. Maybe we’re on Mars or other places around the solar system. 

Author Richard Harland has some other ideas. The future depicted in Ferren and the Angel shows angels and humans in an epic never-ending battle for dominance. 

Harland’s Ferren and the Angel is set in a post-apocalyptic world where angels, soulless soldiers, and wandering spirits exist. The worldbuilding here is addictive. You won’t want to miss any developing details about what the world will look like in this future.

What will break young Ferren out of his humdrum life at the start of this book? Watching an angel fall from Heaven. Miriael, the Fourth Angel of Observance, has no way of returning to her ethereal realm. Her powers have faltered since she arrived in the material world, but she cultivates a new friendship in Ferren. Unfortunately, it has to be kept secret, and it doesn’t stay that way for long.

In the meantime, Ferren is doing everything he can to avoid being selected into military service. Since his family has been taken, he must discover the ugly truth and take down the Selectors in charge.

One of the most intriguing aspects of Ferren and the Angel is the angel lore. There are several types of angels here. Miriael is merely an Observance angel. It’s a lower-class status compared to a high-ranking one like Archangel Michael. Some are warriors while others are merely in charge of historical records. Each angel has their own place in Heaven.

The story world’s history is another exciting part of this book. Many life-changing events happened before Ferren was even born. The world as we know it in 2023 is considered the Great Past. It was the golden age of incredible innovation. All was lost when all of humanity fought with angels. The people in Ferren’s world now live in primal conditions, where a lighter and a can of bug spray are considered ancient, treasured relics. 

Besides the engaging plot, the book highlights a serious lesson in the dangers of scientific advancement, an “Icarus gets too close to the sun” sort of situation. Angels noticed humans were getting too smart for their own good, that people were resurrecting the dead and exploring Heaven’s lower realms, so they had to be taken down a notch. Science can be good, but there’s a point when it crosses dangerous lines with dire consequences. 

Ferren and the Angel is a dystopian adventure must-read! This book has a great plot, some incredible conflict, and secrets just waiting to be revealed. Dystopian fans are in for a treat.

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