Book Review :: Pillars of Fire (An Ether Novel) by Laurice E. Molinari

Pillars of Fire is the second novel in the Ether Novel Series by Laurice E. Molinari. The Ether novels are Laurice E. Molinari's first novels. (Prior to these, she was most known for her script writing for movies such as My Girl, The Brady Bunch Movie, and more.)  

If you have not yet read the first novel, The Ether: Vero Rising, I would recommend reading it before reading Pillars of Fire. Although there is enough back story in Pillars of Fire to get you up to date, you will still be missing out on a lot. 

I am writing this review assuming that you have read The Ether: Vero Rising. (If you haven't...enter at your own risk as there may or may not be some first novel spoilers in this review.)

In Pillars of Fire, we meet back with Vero Leland (teenage boy on earth/guardian angel in the Ether), his fellow "fledgling" guardian angels (Kane, X, Pax, Greer, and Ada), his sister (Clover), and his best friend (Tack). The story in Pillars of Fire really hits the ground running - from the first chapter a new adventure is unrolling...and it keeps it up throughout the novel.

We soon find out that the Angel Trials will be taking place (a sort of angel Olympic games), consisting of three tasks. The competition for the Angel Trials is tough - other angels from the "second sphere" who have a different range of abilities enter the picture.

Throughout Pillars of Fire, Vero is taken between earth and the Ether - facing challenges in both places. Pillars of Fire seems to be a bit "darker" overall than The Ether: Vero Rising, in my opinion. The challenges for Vero are definitely tougher and he comes in contact with new enemies. 

Many of the hints from the first novel come back and are further revealed in Pillars of Fire, yet at the end we still find more hints...possibly showing another novel to come?

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed these books, being Juvenile Fiction. They were well written and kept a steady pace throughout. My almost 9 year old son really enjoys these books (he had been waiting eagerly for months since he read The Ether: Vero Rising for Pillars of Fire to be released) and my 11 year old daughter enjoyed them, too (although probably not as much as my son). 

These books do tie in some Bible references, but with the vastly unknown subject matter of angels or unexplained creatures that are mentioned just a time or two, there is a lot of extra information here - and it is not clear in the novels where the information comes from (Bible, outside sources, or the author's imagination). Still, I found these interesting to read and some of the ideas in the novels have inspired me to think about things in ways I may not have thought about before.

When compared with some of today's fantastical novels that are so popular (such as the Harry Potter books), I would much prefer my kids be reading something like The Ether: Vero Rising and Pillars of Fire, where the topic always comes back to following God and doing His will. 

FTC Declaration: The publisher has provided me with an advanced reading copy. This does not change the fact that I will give my honest opinion in my reviews.