Harbinger (Celestial Creatures, #3)

by Olga Gibbs

[zooloo1983]

The Harbinger is here and she is not to be messed with! Ariel also now Uriel is recruiting and she needs an army! This is the build-up book in order to reach the climactic finale in Halo.

Heavenward is our introduction, laying the ground rules, Hallow is our new way of life understanding what is expected of us and Harbinger is the planning and the plotting.

This is a series you need to read the other books because you really wouldn’t have a scooby with what is going on. There is a lot of angel lingo and terminology that I still can’t remember plus all the different planes to remember. So don’t go in blind!

So much happens in this book without realising it, spanning over two different planes, we witness Ariel grow from the scared and unsure schoolgirl into a battle-hungry woman, ready to fulfil the role left to her by Uriel. The battle scenes are gruesome and bloody and raw. It was a bit like Game of Thrones watching the pawns and rooks all move into place for the final showdown. With Rafe by her side and an Adar which reminded me of Lockjaw from the Inhumans…but maybe not as cute, these become our focal points of the book.

We meet new characters, we see familiar faces and we have Rafe trying to adjust after the shocking events from Hallow which affect him in more ways than one.

Ending, well can’t say too much but it was a shock! Betrayal, blood, lust who knows how it will end….well bar Olga!

It was great to see Ariel evolve, however at times she was a bit tiresome. She would beat herself up completely with the mistakes she kept making, yet in one inner monologue, she didn’t care about this particular bit and wanted to make a mistake. She let her buddy Rage take over (don’t get me wrong I do love her little Rage!) but she also holds a lot of anger in, a lot of inner conflicts. I know the anger is a tool to stop her from breaking down, but it’s still hard to see her act like a petulant teenager. But you know what, she is a petulant teenager, she has been thrown on this chessboard without the instructions and she is trying to find her own way around. I respect her for that, but she needs to lose a little bit of attitude.

Olga’s imagination is a fantastical one. She has taken us on a journey, where we have wings, we have battles and we have the rather gruesome. She has created a world which could have you almost believing was real whether you are flying the halls of Uras or walking the barren lands or even just on plain old earth, the descriptions will have you there. The wind in your wings and the awful smells will surround you.

As Ariel has evolved, you see Olga’s writing has evolved, as Ariel gains confidence you see Olga does too. It is a magical journey to be on and as I have said before you can not pigeonhole this book. One reason is that I don’t feel like there is a romance troupe too much, yes it’s either #TeamRafe or #TeamSam but really none of this play a huge part in the story, and the little it does well it’s clear how the coin will roll with this one.

The pieces are slowing coming into place on the board, the lines have been drawn, it’s now all ready for the final book and the final showdown, but is anyone ready?