Light of the Last: Wars of the Realm, Book 3

This is a fascinating novel! I jumped into book #3--the completion of the trilogy--without reading the previous two books*, and this is not a genre I usually explore with the futuristic, spiritual warfare, and conspiracy elements. At first, I was hesitant on how the author would display certain Biblical interpretations through his book (and I may not agree 100% on everything), but I left it so grateful for the time, adventure, details, intentionality, and emphasis on Scripture that Chuck Black wove into this fast-paced and truth-filled story.I enjoyed both the audiobook format and the paperback--the audiobook has good music and dramatization, but the book has a reader's guide that explained Biblical context and liberties the author took while constructing the story, which was helpful. So I enjoyed both. 🙃I especially appreciated the message of how important it is to share the Gospel. I found myself wishing one character would JUST SHARE JESUS... then I found myself examining my own life... and am I faithful to obey that commandment of Jesus?The way spiritual warfare was displayed was so neat to read (and paired well as I'm currently reading "The Screwtape Letters"). I appreciate that Chuck Black didn't shy away from harder topics.There was a lot I appreciated in this novel. There was also violence and gore or maybe slight words some readers could find issue with, but I found this book wholesome and encouraging. The romance was clean and beautiful, excellently done! I loved how the characters pointed one another to Jesus.*Also, reading book #3 alone was a smooth read, and I picked up all the context needed! I'd recommend the first two to be read first, as now I want to go back and enjoy the details, but you can enjoy this as a stand-alone as well.I am so grateful for how Chuck Black sought to honor God and keep in line with Scripture in writing this book, and it blessed me.

This book was so hard to put down! The combination of spiritual warfare, the CIA, geeky technical details, and the looming threat of bio-terrorism (especially in a post-COVID-19 world) all came together to create a totally unexpected ending to this trilogy. I actually learned a few things about U.S. security and found myself intrigued by the real-world possibilities of bio-terrorism.I also really enjoyed the addition of the technology elements - they were so cool and added a modern layer to the story! While much of the book was serious, including parts that delved into the horrors of Nazi concentration camps, there were also moments of humor that lightened the tone just enough, making the balance between spirituality, fiction, reality, romance, and relatable human emotion almost seamless.I think some of the spiritual aspects could have been handled better, such as how certain angels were made to seem “good” or “bad,” however, I understand those details weren't meant to be taken as fact or completely biblically accurate.Another thing I loved about this book is that I didn’t have to worry about coming across anything crude or explicit. Instead, it was written in a way that honors God, which I deeply appreciated.Overall, this book wrapped up the trilogy in such a satisfying way, blending faith, action, and modern-day issues. It’s definitely earned a place on my top book list!

I read Cloak of the Light when it first came out. I loved every second of it, even when I moved onto the second book and parts of it seemed a bit unnecessary. But when I began reading this book, doubts crept in. Would this book finish the trilogy in a complete and satisfying way? Would it be filled with unneeded filler? Would it live up to the first one, and would it surpass the second?I need not have worried.This book is everything you want it to be. Yes, there are a few stereotypical situations (CIA training, Mission Impossible-esque endgame, SPOILER the guy becoming a Christian), but these are more than made up for by a lovable yet flawed hero, mature story-telling, and a creative plot.I really enjoyed how Chuck Black tackled challenging issues in real and meaningful ways. What are citizens to do when faced with widespread catastrophe and corruption? When a government fails, how should the people respond? Who is the highest authority when employed in a government position - the POTUS, or the Lord? Should radical Islam be treated in a manner befitting its horrific results? Does global unity warrant the loss of national sovereignty? All these and more were answered in a varying degrees, more so than I thought possible in this genre.The plot is creative and highlighted specific instances of angels vs. demons and humanity vs. humanity. Our hero, Drew Carter, must cope with his abilities and rationalize what he is seeing. And yes, he does turn into somewhat of a super hero at some points, but that is balanced by the realization that compared to the higher angels and demons, Drew is not nearly equal without faith in Christ. The angels, while again somewhat stereotypical, were personable. The stakes were raised, and the ending is one that will satisfy you and leave you thinking long after you read the final page.On a spiritual level, I believe that while Chuck Black did take some liberties, there was nothing that jumped out at me as directly contradicting Scripture. Not only that, I believe that it enhanced some thinking on specific biblical topics that I already had. Very thought-provoking! The steps Drew took to becoming a Christian, while somewhat cliched, nevertheless were believable and extremely satisfying.Yes, there are a couple times when you have to suspend reality, if only for a short while. The microbots were a bit convenient, and the villains were not fleshed out as well as they should have been. Fitting the LASOK into glasses in such a short time and the fact that Sydney just happened to have a degree in microbiology seemed a little far fetched, but all of these things were cleverly handled in such a way that I wasn't distracted by them as I raced toward the top-notch climax.So, is Light of the Last a perfect book? No. Is it the conclusion I was looking for? A resounding yes.Light of the Last is a fitting end to an excellent trilogy, and I couldn't ask for more from a Christian thriller.

Supernatural forces clash in Chuck Black's final installment in The Wars of the Realm series, Light of the Last. Rivaling, if not surpassing his Kingdom Series, Light of the Last was a thrilling, intense read that was worth every cent I paid, and some.The story picks up where the first two left off, following the Story of Drew Carter as he discovers who he is, and the truth behind what he really is seeing, as well as the angel Validus, who is tasked in protecting Carter. I can tell that a lot of time, research, and dedication went into the crafting of this novel. It was well written, paced, and engaging at every corner. I finished it in three days, I couldn't put it down. This is the kind of fiction I wish there was more of; tales of ordinary people finding God's grace to do mighty things.The technology in this book was brilliant, once again I can tell that research played a key role in this book, especially. Initially I had been surprised by the second book, Rise of the Fallen, for taking a break from Drew's story and backtracking to Validus's, but now I can see why it was done, and I am grateful Chuck Black did so. It filled the holes that would have otherwise remained empty, and created an overall sense of completeness to the story. The political turmoil itself sounded like it was ripped from a headline, and the terrorist plot was so realistic it was chilling. It wouldn't be hard to imagine it being real, and I certainly believe that was intended. I certainly hope that we as a nation will have the same result as depicted in the book, because the story is certainly more plausible than most I've read.I always love a good supernatural fiction tale, but since many tend to get weird, I'm glad that he stayed as close to the Bible as possible when crafting Wars of the Realm. It was very believable, and the reader's guide in the back was an added bonus I loved studying. Overall, Wars of the Realm is one of the best series I've read in a while, and I look forward to reading it again. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves Christian Fiction, and has a hunger for truth. Truth will certainly be found in these pages, and that is something immensely refreshing to find in a fiction book today.

Highly recommend this book. Love it! The book was slightly creased when i got it, but otherwise, no complaints.

I loved Light of the Last! In my opinion, this book is the best in the Wars of the Realm trilogy. Although I really enjoyed the first two books (Cloak of the Light and Rise of the Fallen), I felt that Chuck Black rushed in depicting the main character’s - Drew Carter- life and the plot. Not so with Light of the Last. Black does an exceptional job in communicating the emotions that Drew feels and all the complications in his life. Black describes what Drew is feeling in detail, what is going on and why, and what his salvation means to the world. Also, you can really see that Drew is struggling to find out if God truly exists in contrast to science, evidence, and all the terrible things that occur in the world around him. The plot is explained in further detail so that the reader can grasp what is going on in both the human and angel/demon realm and why Drew is so relevant to both the realms. Most of the book is based on the realities that we face today, but it contains some things that would normally never occur like a device allowing you to see into another realm and a man with the ability to see angels and demons with the naked eye. Chuck Black was excellent in entwining Scripture and spiritual warfare into the book. Light of the Last is not too complicated to grasp and not a simple read either. There were some parts in the book where I had no clue what was going on in terms of technology and secret agencies, but there were only a few of those. The last few pages left me a little puzzled and it took me awhile to understand the meaning of it all, but it wasn’t a sad ending where something tragic happened. Black didn’t kill off any of the really important characters which I was really relieved about. Overall, it was an amazing book. If you are looking for an action-packed, suspenseful Christian book, I would totally recommend Light of the Last!

For someone who finds most YA fiction insufferable, I actually liked this book. Unlike many YA novels, you won't need the author's personal lexicon to interpret all the made up slang the author made up for the book (but you will have to sit through him randomly throwing out technical specifications with no idea what they mean).There's still a love triangle and lots of philosophical musings inside the protagonists head that are used as lectures for the reader, like in most YA fiction.I guess what's different is that unlike most YA series, Chuck Black always makes his in sets of 6. Which means, expect more from these characters.

Completely intriguing end to this trilogy. Chuck Black continues his mastery of literary skills and entertainment with plot twists, heartwarming characters, and a relatable story. One of the things I loved most about this series is how clean and wholesome it is for all ages - even when Drew (main character) is unsaved, Black portrays him in a very noble and heroic way - a way that makes him inspirational and the story worth reading. I also loved the expertise Chuck Black weaves in with his knowledge of the military, technology, and secret operations...makes for an enthralling read and I am sad the series is over!

I can hardly begin to express how much I enjoyed this series! I honestly didn't want each book to end 😩 haha...but seriously.The world created by Chuck Black is interesting, well detailed and filled with characters who grew on me. I even felt sorrow for Niturni's eternally costly decision. As well, the ideas for spiritual warfare, communication between the angels, and Drew's abilities are wonderfully imaginative! The strong writing skills, realistic characters, and creative plot lines all worked together to bring the series to 3D life for this reader--it was almost like watching a movie!I highly recommend this series and am definitely looking for more books by this author!

BEST BOOK SERIES EVER!! I never dreamed Chuck Black would top his knights books. But he really did, a must read!

My little sister loves this book series

Light of the Last was a great finale to a very engaging series of books. Christian readers who keep in mind the fictional nature of the book and don't examine the portrayal of angels and "end times" events too critically will not be disappointed in this third volume. Some of the scenes were truly moving....to the point of tears in my case. The story generally was very encouraging and uplifting to me as a follower of Jesus.