“Ferren and the Angel” by Richard Harland

• 07/26/2023
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Ferren and the Angel

Richard Harland
IFWG Publishing International (2023)
ISBN:  978-1922856296
Reviewed by Ephantus M for Reader Views (07/2023)

 “Ferren and the Angel” by award-winning author Richard Harland, is the first book in a new fantasy, The Ferren Trilogy. This read follows the adventures of two sworn enemies-turned-friends, an Angel and a Residual. Their rapport comes in handy in seeking reprieve for the People, a community that has been infiltrated by an impregnable force that cunningly reaps human body parts and minds for the production of its Plasmatics and Hypers.

Ferren has in the past witnessed innumerable dissensions where Earth was fiercely attacked by Heavenly forces, with the latter displaying glaring dominance that often sent chills down the spines of the People. A deadly peril has again occurred overnight but with the help of allies, Earth has been successfully defended. However, the curious adolescent is quick to notice a globe that has been hurtling onward toward their protective shelter, Dwelling Home, a derelict building with no roof overhead. He is further bewildered by the unbelievable sight of its occupant- a winged celestial on board the seemingly crashing orb.

Unknown to Ferren, the celestial being is a fighting warrior angel of the Twenty-Second Company and the Fourteenth Angel of Observance who has been shut out of Heaven and cut off from all angelic contact. She is an archenemy whose hint of her presence on earth would be detrimental to her existence, considering that her powers of transcendental empathy are obstructed and she is far away from her home. Fortunately for her, an improbable meeting with Ferren has her life preserved, and hidden truths told regarding a dreaded exercise and a rigorous selection into military service.

Richard Harland has delivered another simply written but swift-moving read that fans of his best-sellers- “Worldshaker” and “Song of the Slums,” among others, will gladly embrace. The editing and narration are precise, and the logical thinking exhibited by the characters is highly elucidating. His fans will love his new protagonist, Ferren, whose charisma, charm, demeanor, and emotion provide a lasting personal connection with the reader. The text is full of game-changing cliffhangers at the end of almost every chapter, that solidly boost a reader’s momentum, as well as create integral bridges across the gaps between chapters.

Across the board, “Ferren and the Angel” is a text that has readers encountering extreme flights of imagination that undoubtedly makes the author an exceptional writer and a celebrated award winner. This first installment is conclusively a richly developed fantasy that will rise quickly into a beloved classic, and which readers will resonate with for a long time. It is the perfect read for anyone looking for a momentary escape- a release from life’s anxieties and tensions.