A professional assassin commits her last murder, dies, and finds herself recruited to reprise her role in the afterlife.
The tale alternates between Deborah Sinclair’s new role in a biblical-themed but yet unexpected afterlife and the backstory of her earthly life from a troubled childhood up to her blossoming as a successful hit man for The Orchard and her own consequent death.
Although Deborah’s life begins in Glasgow, Scotland during the late eighties or early nineties, the writing style has a universal and contemporary appeal to it. The wording is generally practical and to the point, effectively evoking mood through concise diction.
The hereafter Deborah finds herself in has similarities to Catholic conceptions, but it’s spooky and grim and oppressive and invites rebellion, which is just what the celestial guides convince her to help them with. This would be Deborah’s most important kill ever. Though this epic plot of revolution in heaven is akin to that of Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials, the story never becomes so elaborate or perhaps overly ambitious as that.
What it is weakened by are periods of lagging energy and unfulfilled plot points. While the afterlife Deborah finds is initially mysterious, dark, and suspenseful, its organization and heroes and villains start to feel underdeveloped upon closer inspection. For examples, some high-ranking biblical demons are presented as mere monsters to be combated. Deborah’s target is described only in hearsay, his displayed cruelty mechanical and not carefully reasoned. The story also becomes delayed by drawn out, superficial disputes and hyped character introductions reminiscent of the The Matrix film series. Squeamish readers be aware that there is a bit of gruesome horror. The book also ends with a murky cliffhanger.
A thrilling, quick read, Book I of The Divine Revolution series renews its intensity as its sarcastic but no-nonsense protagonist closes in on her quarry. The book utilizes simple but elegant graphics and occasional visual juxtaposition of text in an imposing and enticing manner.
Dark, moody, and rebellious, Fractures delivers an insurrection in heaven with a tough but good-hearted assassin to lead the way.
~IndieReader.