Score: 4 stars
Purchase Hyperlink: Amazon | iBooks | Amazon UK
Size: Novel
USAF Main Atlas Brandt by no means thought he and his greatest good friend Matty would develop into a pair, however after a long time of friendship, Matty lastly made a transfer for one thing extra. Atlas is happy about this tender new improvement, however earlier than these two ever actually have an opportunity, Atlas’ world is turned the wrong way up. Throughout a flight in his F-15E Eagle jet, screams of horror and sounds of struggle fill his cockpit radio. Floor management is unresponsive. The one clear phrase Atlas catches is “demon,” and when he lastly lands, experiences of a demon assault are confirmed by these left on the bottom. It feels like a joke, however Atlas quickly discovers what hell on earth seems like–actually.
All Atlas cares about in that second is discovering Matty. Tearing by the grounds, Atlas sees along with his personal eyes the form of destruction and demise the demons are able to; he sees what they did to Matty. However not even his rage at a love snuffed out too shortly is sufficient to assist Atlas put up a significant resistance, so he retreats again to the bottom the place Atlas receives one more shock to his system–assembly two of the sexiest males of his life.
Regardless of the recent, uncooked damage of dropping Matty, Atlas can not deny the moment zing of attraction he feels for the attractive, waif-like angel Raziel and his juggernaut of a companion known as Conquest. How he can really feel such intense want at a time like that is bewildering and Atlas is aware of he has to disregard it for a a lot larger purpose: getting these supernaturally highly effective beings to assist him save what’s left of the human race. It looks like a foregone conclusion that Conquest and Raziel will assist him; in any case, they appear wanting to kill the demons similar to Atlas. Then Conquest explains that he is likely one of the 4 Horsemen of the apocalypse.
Atlas had misunderstood Conquest and the opposite Horsemen’s roles in battling the demons; the Horsemen weren’t battling demons to avoid wasting people, they have been battling them as a result of one thing is deeply incorrect with how this apocalypse is unfolding. Serving to people is a short lived facet impact at greatest, one which leaves Atlas reeling, at the same time as his lust for Conquest and Raziel grows an increasing number of overwhelming. Much more complicated is the way in which Raziel reciprocates and, finally, how Conquest himself offers over to want. They could know a love between immortals and a human can not final, however in addition they know they might every transfer heaven and earth for another day collectively.
Atlas is the primary of a two-part duet set in the course of the occasions of Sienna Moreau’s 4 Horsemen sequence. On condition that the timeline on this story overlaps books in the primary sequence, it’s greatest if it’s learn after the primary 4 books. One of many causes I used to be so excited to learn this duet is due to how Atlas moonlights in the primary sequence and particularly the function he performs within the fourth e-book (Demise). I’m so happy to get to find the story of how Conquest and Raziel made room for Atlas of their beds and hearts. The primary sequence actually simply type of dropped Atlas into their relationship. This primary e-book within the duet goes to nice size in exploring how Atlas comes to fulfill Conquest and Raziel. In reality, I’d say the e-book is essentially centered on exploring how Atlas, Conquest, and Raziel all match collectively intimately and emotionally, which could make this an okay e-book to learn as a standalone for those who’re searching for an exploration of a polyamorous relationship in a dystopian fantasy setting.
First, Conquest and Raziel are obsessively in love with one another. Conquest is clearly dominant over Raziel, who dearly loves being the main target of Conquest’s consideration. The scale distinction between them acts as a bodily illustration of the facility distinction between them. Additionally, Conquest has been round actually eternally and Raziel is barely 100 years previous. Even with all these tropes at play, they don’t appear to be static. Conquest has been coaching Raziel to be a greater fighter and extra assured; Raziel himself appears extra assertive on this story than he did in most of his “origin” story (Conquest). Not solely that, however I assumed they went by some actual development on this story with respect to the emotions they’ve for Atlas and what which means for his or her them as people and as a pair.
Atlas instantly acknowledges his attraction to Raziel, whereas additionally instantly pegging Conquest as an aloof asshole (albeit an extremely engaging one). Conquest’s preliminary response is disbelief {that a} mere mortal can be of curiosity and dismay that Raziel appears to really feel one thing for Atlas. This creates a slight undertone of Conquest feeling upset that Raziel appears to need somebody apart from him and hostility in direction of Atlas. Atlas is outwardly appalled at being handled like he’s an insolent youngster, however inwardly he appears to like the eye. No matter Conquest’s quibbles are, Raziel solely ever reinforces his staunch perception that Conquest is his one and solely. Raziel goes as far as to clarify that he’ll steer clear of Atlas if that may make Conquest pleased. Over the course of the e-book, Conquest tries to come back to phrases with the concept Raziel and Atlas might need emotions for one another and that doesn’t essentially imply he’ll lose Raziel. A way more uncomfortable matter for Conquest is the belief that he may not be as ambivalent about Atlas as he as soon as thought. Atlas’ reactions extra carefully mirror Conquest; he is aware of being with Raziel gained’t examine to what Raziel and Conquest have, however Conquest himself is likely to be equally essential to him.
The impossibility of Atlas, Conquest, and Raziel having a dedicated relationship crops up all through the e-book. Aside from the “learn how to be polyamorous” soul looking out our principal characters have interaction in, there’s the truth that Conquest and Raziel are immortal and Atlas just isn’t. Not solely is that this mirrored within the hazard Atlas faces each time he encounters demons (which he does, very often), but in addition in these sparing conversations the place Atlas is reminded that the Horsemen aren’t actually on humanity’s facet. It is a enormous query that has huge implications for his or her three-man relationship, however doesn’t actually come to fore till the very finish of the final chapter of e-book one. I feel it units us up properly for what’s coming in e-book two and as a method to hyperlink this story to the occasions in e-book 4 of the primary sequence.
In case you loved the Horsemen sequence and particularly Conquest and Raziel’s story, I feel you’ll love Atlas. The primary e-book is each bit as sizzling and heavy as the unique sequence and I assumed it centered extra on exploring this shift from a pair to a throuple and fewer on the apocalyptic occasions unfolding round them, although there’s nonetheless loads of demon slaying and violence.
