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Trigger warnings
Positive tags
Hero archetypes
Protagonist archetypes
Tropes
Themes
Synopsis
To the warrior-monks known as the Redeemers, who rule over massive armies of child slaves, "the last four things" represent the culmination of a faithful life. Death. Judgement. Heaven. Hell. The last four things represent eternal bliss-or endless destruction, permanent chaos, and infinite pain. Perhaps nowhere are the competing ideas of heaven and hell exhibited more clearly than in the dark and tormented soul of Thomas Cale. Betrayed by his beloved but still marked by a child's innocence, possessed of a remarkable aptitude for violence but capable of extreme tenderness, Cale will lead the Redeemers into a battle for nothing less than the fate of the human race. And though his broken heart foretells the bloody trail he will leave in pursuit of a personal peace he can never achieve, a glimmer of hope remains. The question even Cale can't answer: When it comes time to decide the fate of the world, to ensure the extermination of humankind or spare it, what will he choose? To express God's will on the edge of his sword, or to forgive his fellow man-and himself?
The last four things: content & age rating
Intended for adult readers (18+).
Extremely dark fantasy featuring child slavery, warrior-monks ruling child armies, graphic violence, and psychological trauma. The protagonist is a child soldier marked by abuse and violence who must decide humanity's fate.
What to know going in
This book has graphic violence, mild sexual content, and moderate language. Content notes include child abuse, child harm, torture, slavery, and graphic violence (see the full list above).
Who'll love this
A dark and violent epic where a damaged young warrior leads armies and wrestles with his violent nature while the fate of the world hangs in the balance.