Review: Armageddon

Armageddon by Christina Bauer
Series: Angelbound
Rating: ★★3/4


4 stars for creativity and plot, but the same issue came up here, as it did with the first two books (which made me want to give 2 stars, so I split the difference at 3). The dialogue/writing was stilted and awkward. As a result, minor characters were gypped in their storylines. 

I honestly read this book for Myla. I love that girl, and I liked watching her do the whole mommy/warrior thing.

This is the last book in the trilogy Angelbound, and it begins with a married Lincoln and Myla (yay!), who now have a three year old son (ah!) and are ruling Purgatory and Antrum hand in hand. Their bubble of happiness bursts when they get wind of a plot, and are forced to go toe to toe with Armageddon, King of Hell. 

Lincoln and Myla are finally ruling together! Their partnership is totally equal, which I love. When they address their people, it is as one mind (literally finishing each other's sentences/paragraphs, which is cheesy, but hey). Myla doesn't just jump on and take the reigns like her personality would probably tend towards; just as Lincoln doesn't do most of the speaking even though you could easily make the argument that their subjects are his people, and he's been trained to be king his whole life. They're equal parts, two halves of the same coin. They work seamlessly together. It's wonderful to watch, and their teamwork is a constant during the entire novel. 

Basically, we know Connor is hiding something, and he can't say what. They just know it's something to do with Maxon (their son, ah! I can't get over the fact they have a kid:)). And the rest of the novel centers around finding the problem and eliminating it head on. (Of course it is, this is Myla we're talking about)

Though the plot was great, here's where I had issues: 

The very thing I love about these books can also be a source of weakness. It definitely became one in this last novel.

The story moves forward realllllly quickly.

The plot is quick and dense with action/change. It keeps you moving forward, which is wonderful. I love that; however, it really makes dialogue and inner conflict awkward, stilted, and unexplored. For example, when Xavier is constantly talking about war on Armageddon and ignoring his daughter and son-in-law as they plead for him to consider another option that doesn't involve traumatizing their son while he's torture in hell (he would never be himself again) he breezes over it like "no, no stupid children. Why would we worry about saving your son? Accept that he's a lost cause and will come back a pile of barely living/traumatized bones, and we need to focus on an assault that will take months!" and literally doesn't listen or consider anything else... What kind of father would actually do that?! Or think like that!? I also don't buy that he would be so self obsessed that he doesn't consider any other options for his grandson , even if he ended up coming to the same "war" conclusion that he does in the book. 

It keeps the plot moving at wicked fast pace, which I enjoyed, but at the cost of some very painful reading. I'm not sure it was a good trade. I would have preferred added length for better character conflict/development. 

When the action is rolling and people are fighting, I'm totally engaged and alert. I love the creativity of it all! There's excellent world building and that is something I must applaud he author for, but an editor really needed to rake this novel over.