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In this novel of fantastic proportions, readers follow the mysterious Azrael, also known as the Angel of Death. As Azrael learns about his true identity and reckons with his teacher, Drexus, readers join him in a divided world, where all who possess unique gifts must decide whether or not they use their gifts for good or evil. Azrael makes a life-changing and identity-altering decision: he undergoes a procedure that gives him magic. Soon, he finds that the original group who accepted him, the Hunters and the Watch Guard, are now against him. Readers see Azrael develop into something he never imagined he could be—a being with a conscience. Azrael goes on his journey of the self, where the people he once vowed to kill are now his closest friends.
Azrael meets Kord and Kenz, two siblings who hold the power to transform Azrael and his path. Azrael decides that he will "no longer go by Azrael, but his given name, the one his sister and mother had called him. Jasce." In this powerful moment, readers find a significant and inspirational hero, transformed from a questionable, almost detestable one: "Jasce had chosen to become the Angel of Death. He chose to let hatred and revenge define him. He had chosen this life." Exciting and revelatory in its hopeful message that good triumphs over evil and that even the most deplorable character can change for the better, this book will engage readers of all ages. Young adult readers especially will find it an engaging read—an equal to Allyson Hauptman's The Freelancers. Meanwhile, fans of the genre might see resonances with Christopher Walken's The Prophecy film series.