Official Review: Rectify The Avenging Angel

That Reviewer · Post by **That Reviewer** » 29 May 2021, 12:04

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Rectify The Avenging Angel" by Ryan J Russell.]

4 out of 4 stars

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Just when I felt the end was near, the text just began. Rectify is an avenging angel whose mission will not start until he translates from his mutable body into the immutable one. Major Dan Campbell is an arduous soldier who dreams of being a Navy Seal all his life. But he ends up a Delta Force operative. As duty calls, Dan has the obligation of rescuing the women abducted by Aco for sex trafficking. Indeed, it is and has been the burning desire of Dan to ensure that the women are set free and Aco, the leader of the human trafficking gang, hunted down. To further heighten his anger against Aco, Sonya, Dan's love, is a victim of rape orchestrated by this inhuman group. Hence, his quest to fight for Sonya. But it seems there is sabotage somewhere. His backup does not come when they should. Now, he has to fight this course almost alone. Will he be able to fight this group by himself? What will become of the abducted women if he loses? What about Sonya, his beloved? Let's find out from Rectify The Avenging Angel.

I almost concluded that Rectify The Avenging Angel will not match my taste, considering an event at the novel's beginning. I felt Ryan J. Russell did careless work; that was before he brought a twist that grabbed my attention again. I was thrown aghast. I had to go back to the beginning to reread the event that threw me off in the first place. From then onward, it was an engaging read till the end. I wouldn't mention the event to avoid giving away spoilers. However, readers should not be thrown off by the event, as it would make sense down the line.

Although a book of fantasy, everything was made to appear natural and catchy. Dan's frequent waking up to understand what was happening to him made the fantasy aspect relatable. Unlike the regular one-way storyline of magic and metaphysical journeys obtainable in sci-fi/fantasy stories, Rectify The Avenging Angel stood different. Dan was not power-hungry; he was not abusive of his power, neither did he use it to cause ills in society. Instead, Ryan presented a character that was bent on rescuing people from authoritarian leaders and attackers. One such instance of this element of goodness was evident in the mission of Dan (Rectify) to Japan. He chose to use his power minimally to avoid creating scenes and unnecessary superiority based on magic. This was a tad different from the fragrant display of magical powers I'd come to get used to whenever I read fantasy stories.

Additionally, the evocation of the past life of Kaito to the present speaks well of this novel. However, it is not just the evocation of the past that accords beauty to this novel but also the presentation. This agrees with the saying that "it is not the content of a book that makes it a literature, but the way the content is presented." This is true of Rectify The Avenging Angel. The story of this novel can be written by anyone but can not be as captivating, thrilling, and exciting as Ryan has presented it. His ability to manage the dual identities of some of the characters, such as Dan, Kunoichi, etc., further makes it appealing.

Though there are a couple of errors in the book, they aren't enough to send it to the butcher shop. I can't place my fingers on anything off-putting. Therefore, I rate it 4 out of 4 stars. I recommend this book to lovers of fantasy book that does not amplify the use of magical abilities. There are two occasions when Jesus and the Bible are alluded to, respectively. However, it doesn't mean this book is religious, as they are only used to explain the disposition of the characters at that moment.

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Rectify The Avenging Angel
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NetMassimo · Post by **NetMassimo** » 16 Jun 2021, 15:03

This seems like a novel that's intriguing in several ways; a fantasy story that doesn't rely on magic. Some parts seem really dark, though, so I'll probably need to be in the right mood to read it. Thank you for your great review!

Kanchan Bhil · Post by **Kanchan Bhil** » 18 Jun 2021, 23:18

I usually read fantasy novels that have magic filled in them. I would like to read this book to see if I can read a fantasy novel without relaying on the use of magic in it.