Dougherty’s newest installment in his saga featuring Thumos—the mightiest warrior of Yahweh’s heavenly army—explores the origins of the last angel ever created.

A genre-blending fusion of biblical myth, arcane thriller, and gritty crime fiction, Dougherty’s latest braids intertwining storylines. First and foremost is the creation of the avenging angel Thumos, whose opening words signify his sole purpose: “I am the right-hand of vengeance for the Lord Most High.” Sent on numerous missions by Yahweh—from aiding Moses and the Israelites in their exodus from Egypt to defending Jerusalem from the Assyrian King Sennacherib and his armies to assisting Jesus in his time of need—Thumos grapples with exacting Yahweh’s vengeance upon His enemies and following His will. In many cases, Thumos struggles to rely on his faith; Yahweh’s grand plan often seems unknowable. Other story threads, set much more recently, follow the origin stories of the detectives Ian Jelani and Lane Madigan, delving into their backgrounds—from Ian’s father’s childhood in Uganda to the murder of Ian’s wife and Lane’s time as a police cadet in Florida. Lastly is the storyline following Roberto Valenzuela and his transformation from impoverished San Salvadorian child to Miami crime lord. A prequel to Dougherty’s debut novel, 2023’s Holy Terror, the novel’s major flaws are obvious. Thumos’ many missions are only superficially described and feel rushed, and there’s little focus on secondary character depth, worldbuilding, and emotional complexity. Only Thumos’ experiences with Jesus, particularly when he’s crucified, are truly thematically powerful. Ironically, while many characters are thinly described, Thumos is meticulously portrayed: “[His] skin blazed brilliantly, like polished brass, as he allowed his natural angelic appearance to be revealed…His long, leathery ears stood upright like razor-sharp spikes, and his fiery white eyes glowed intensely.” Also, the novel leaves numerous plot threads (like Jelani and Madigan, Valenzuela, etc.) open-ended—not a satisfying conclusion so much as the completion of a foundation to the beginning of the actual series. Ultimately, though, the nonstop action and breakneck pacing compensate well.

Flat characters and worldbuilding notwithstanding, the powerful moral lessons may resonate with fans of Christ-centered stories.

This debut novel—and series opener—is a blend of Christian mythology, crime drama, and arcane thriller that follows two detectives as they attempt to track down a seemingly unstoppable killer.

Ian Jelani and his partner, Lane Madigan, are Miami police detectives tasked with finding a murderer who has been ritualistically butchering criminals—drug dealers, porn peddlers, terrorists. As the two investigate the elusive executioner, they discover similar homicides across the country. The “Holy Terror,” as the media have dubbed the killer, only targets hardcore criminals. Unbeknown to the two detectives, the entity behind the gruesome murders is an angel named Thumos, Yahweh’s right hand of justice whose flaming sword of vengeance has dispatched those who do evil against Yahweh’s children for millennia. But the recent killings have not been ordained by God—and Thumos is in danger of losing his soul to darkness. As Thumos struggles with his own spiritual demons, so do Jelani and Madigan, both dealing with their own issues with accepting God’s will. Fueled by Christian beliefs—relevant biblical verses and Christian doctrine abound—this tale about the spiritual awakenings of all three characters is powerfully moving. (Christian readers will also undoubtedly enjoy the pop-culture references, like the Christian metal band Stryper.) The pacing is brisk, and Dougherty’s narrative reads like a thriller, high intensity throughout with action-packed scenes from beginning to end. The big criticism here is the wild inconsistency in descriptions of both the setting and characters. Thumos, for example, is richly portrayed: He “shook his head, and his once long, flowing white hair floated away as multiple horns began to now appear out of his head. His once human-like ears stretched into elongated leathery appendages. His mouth expanded outward, creating almost a snout, with long, white fangs.” Satan, on the other hand, is barely described at all, with the devil wearing a black robe and having “grotesque fingers” and “grotesque appendages.”

Faith-based speculative fiction fans should enjoy this tale of an angel vigilante’s glorious journey.