The Last Kingdom

Last Archangel Series, Book II

By: Michael Young

Narrated by: Matthew Holdren

The end draws near, and this time Xandir is ready to stop it. On a search to restore his memories from his time as an archangel, with his cherub best friend, Giantess daughter, and many others readying themselves for the coming fight, it’s up to them to stop Xandir’s brother Ridnax from bringing about the end of the world and destroying all of mankind.

©2011 Michael D. Young (P)2024 Michael D. Young

I couldn't get into the book

Unfortunately, this one just didn’t click for me. I listened to the audio version, and while the narrator did a solid job, clear, expressive, and easy to follow, he still couldn’t bring me into the story. It could be because I didn’t read the first book, so I felt pretty lost from the very beginning.

The worldbuilding seems massive, Xandir is on a quest to recover his memories as an archangel, joined by a cherub best friend, a Giantess daughter, and others preparing for a final battle against his brother Ridnax, who’s threatening to end the world. It all sounds exciting, but without the context or background, I just couldn’t connect with the characters or the stakes.

There were glimpses of depth and emotion, and I imagine fans of the series will get much more out of it. But as someone jumping in fresh, it left me feeling disconnected and confused. Maybe I’ll go back and try the first book someday, but as a standalone, this one didn’t land for me.