- The Atheist, Alpha Cauwenbergh.
When Alpha emailed me and gave me the plot for his book I was intrigued. The idea for this story was unique. The idea of angel like creatures seeing over earth and splitting themselves, and half being punished by being sent to earth was different. Needless to say I accepted his book.
Goodreads Synopsis:
Julian, a mixed race boy from a broken home is 17 and in his last year of sixth form. After losing his mother in sudden and mysterious circumstances, he grew up with hate and resentment in his heart. His loving father, unable to tame him lives a life unfulfilled. Julian has long since lost faith in religious and academic institutions. God, to him, is nothing but a 3 letter word said by the delusional.
But, he's about to be thrown in the middle of a war between two beings from a realm above the heavens. A war that transcends time and space, whose battle ground has become the very fabric of existence itself. Its warriors, like fallen Angels, live among us -- hidden within a program designed for their rehabilitation. Julian will rediscover beliefs and emotions he had long since discarded, have them brutally tested, witness things no other mortal man has -- and through these trials discover the true meaning of faith.
At the beginning of our book, Julian is a teenage boy with a bad attitude. He's been given a bad lot in life and that's caused him to be a closed off jerk to everyone around him. I loved watching Julian evolve throughout the story. The way he grew to care about the people in his life was really sweet. I loved Julians dad and how he would slip into French. The nun, Aeryn, was as un-nun-ish as you could get. She was fun and sassy and wouldn't let anyone push her around. I enjoyed seeing Aeryn and Julian interact. The way he wanted to protect her from the evil going on around them and the way she treated him as though he wasn't going to break.
So our villain. When he came into the story I was horrified. He's despicable in every way. And he wasn't one of those evil characters you secretly loved. He was terrifying. Twisted and psychotic. Every time the story went to his point of view it gave me the creeps.
I said earlier that the idea for this book was unique. It was in many ways not what I was expecting. I felt that the whole "angel" thing was a little confusing. As was the faith thing. In the end there wasn't a god (or is there and we just have to have faith...?) there were just these beings created from one split being living in another dimension above earth. If you just think in your mind that they're angels it makes the whole thing a little less confusing. I feel like the story could have focused a little less on Julians lack of faith in a god and more on his faith in humanity.
Depending on your book taste I think this book would be enjoyable. If you don't mind the slow start and the slightly confusing angel thing then its definitely enjoyable. The characters are well developed and the world Alpha has created is interesting. Definitely give it a try. You can't go wrong with "sort of" fallen angels and a lone figure being earths only hope.
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