The Crippled Angel (Crucible Series #3) by Sara Douglass

From the Publisher

The world that the former monk Thomas Neville knows is crumbling about him. The Holy Mother Church of Rome is losing its power over men and Thomas knows that this is not Man's doing but the work of the demons who have escaped their earthly prison and who are trying to breach the very gates of heaven.

The great archangel Michael has given Thomas the task to find the demons who now dwell in human form and expose their evil natures. To do this Thomas turns on one set of vows and return to his once lofty noble connections. He encounters old friends, a new love, and temptations that will try his conscience. And his very soul.

For Thomas is beginning to think that all that he knows may not be true. Faced with mortal love and friendships that he desperately wants and fears, he knows that time is growing short.

And the choice that he makes will reshape the world.

Publishers Weekly

In Australian author Douglass's stirring final book in her Crucible trilogy (after 2005's The Wounded Hawk), ex-priest Thomas Neville confronts such thorny issues as man's free will, the morality of angels and the natures of both God and Jesus. If Neville gives his soul to the angels, then mankind will be forever in their thrall. In order to save mankind and allow free will, Neville must find a whore to whom he can wholeheartedly deliver his soul. His anguished decision plays out against the backdrop of such tumultuous events as the reign of Hal "the Demon-King" Bolingbroke, the battle for the French throne at Agincourt and Joan of Arc's fiery martyrdom. This compressed alternate history offers such frightening treats as a view of the angelic heaven and a visit by "the black Dog of Pestilence" (which personally sprays the plague on London). Though the inevitability of Neville's choice is never in doubt, Douglass's excellent grasp of period detail and character is certain to delight fans of historical fantasy. (Jan.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Donna Scanlon - VOYA

Douglass brings her Crucible trilogy to a solid close in this volume. She manages to draw out the suspense until almost the very end, and everything in the story leads to that point without unnecessary tangents or distractions. At the same time, she gives little away. Bolingbroke has the throne of England, but his reign is tried by riot, pestilence, and rebellion, all of which he overcomes. He sets his sights on France against the advice of his counselors and Thomas Neville, and while he triumphs at Agincourt, his victory is fleeting. Meanwhile Neville is still torn between which group will win his soul: the angels and archangels, led by Michael, or the so-called demons, including his wife Margaret, whom he has grown to love. Either choice, he realizes, will enslave humankind eternally. Bolingbroke's frail, ailing wife Mary has indicated to him that a third path exists, and the careful reader will probably figure it out before Neville does. Neville is much more likeable and sympathetic in this book even before a revelation that explains much about him. His character, like those of Margaret, Bolingbroke, Joan of Arc, and Catherine of France, is much more subtle, with more nuances, leading the reader to care about what happens to them. Mary is an especially well-developed and sympathetic character as well. Douglass is a medieval scholar, and her expertise shows in her narrative both historically (apart from the "alternate history" elements) and in lending color and verve to her story. The writing is competent and tight, and Douglass includes enough backstory to jog the reader's memory from the previous titles, but this book does not stand on its own very well. VOYA CODES: 3Q 4P S A/YA(Readable without serious defects; Broad general YA appeal; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12; Adult-marketed book recommended for Young Adults). 2006, Tor, 368p., Ages 15 to Adult.

Kirkus Reviews

Triumphant conclusion to The Crucible historical fantasy trilogy (The Nameless Day, 2005, etc.) in which 14th-century Europeans struggle to secure the right of free will from the angelic and demonic forces that battle for their souls. Former priest Thomas Neville is a servant of the Archangel Michael, charged to find and expose the demons that live among men. Hal Bolingbroke is now King of England, having deposed and murdered King Richard with the help of Neville. Neville and Bolingbroke were once friends, but after a series of betrayals, Neville is convinced Hal is in fact a demon and thus an enemy of God. Neville fears Hal will use his newfound political power to enslave mankind. But what Neville thinks he knows about the nature of angels and demons may not be true after all, and his soul will serve as the final battleground for the fate of humanity. The concept of angels and demons meddling in human affairs is nothing new, but Douglass puts a terrific spin on those familiar tropes and makes them feel fresh. The liberties taken with Christian mythology will likely offend some, but that the narrative takes chances and challenges what we know is part of what makes the storyline compelling. The prose is lucid and the characters fully realized, making for an enjoyable read. Outstanding finale to a brilliant series.

Product Details