I'm not a fan of gimmicks. Wring a book in paragraph-long, unpunctuated sentences is exactly the kind of gimmick to make me want to put it down. The book seems to have found its audience, so that's something. At the very least, like most tastes, it's an acquired one. But I don't feel like I've missed out on anything leaving the show early on. Thanks Netgalley.

Daniel Kraus wrote Whalefall, which I found immersive, wildly creative, and intense in all the best ways. I’d never read anything quite like it, and I couldn’t put it down. Loving that book, I was genuinely excited to dive into Angel Down. It’s another bold, uniquely crafted story, but I struggled a bit with this one.

The entire novel is written as a single, book-length sentence. That structure was strange, yes, but also kind of impressive. I ended up switching to the audiobook, which softened the impact of the format, mostly because the narration was phenomenal. Huge credit to the narrator for breathing life into a story I was struggling to connect with on the page.

Even though the book didn’t fully resonate with me, I still found its themes compelling. Faith and salvation, the futility of war, survival, humanity, brotherhood, and mental breakdown all run through the narrative. It’s a deeply profound story, and I don’t regret reading it. I just wish I’d enjoyed it more.

Angel Down is undeniably a unique literary experience. It challenges you, forces you to stay present, and makes you think hard about what you’re reading. If you’re drawn to experimental fiction or war stories with philosophical weight, this one might be exactly your kind of read. This book may not have fully resonated with me, but I’m genuinely looking forward to whatever bold, boundary-pushing story Kraus decides to tackle next.

Thank you @netgalley and Atria Books for the eARC, which I have read and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Bit of a slow start here, stick with it. The story is worth it. This was an engrossing and fascinating read. The format works well here and forces the reader to visualize everything as it happens. I’m not sure about the title and think it would have benefited from a different title. Ended up with a lot of highlighted passages. Doesn’t happen that often lately.

This book didn’t resonate with me. I don’t think it is a poorly written story, I just couldn’t connect with the characters. I have to care deeply about the protagonist to fully engage with the material. I had high hopes but unfortunately, I don’t think this book was very memorable or impactful.

Bullet Point Review:

- First, if you struggle with unconventional storytelling, then the audiobook is the way to go.
- Chuck Palahniuk meets Joseph Heller.
- War makes villains of everyone and everything. And these characters weren’t protagonists to begin with so the ever downward slide of decency takes it out of you. It’s hard to decide if even the main character can be termed an anti-hero.
- I did like the immersive stream-of consciousness style. It was incredibly visceral and effective.

- Binged the first half and then burned out on the whole thing. Realized the complete picture was not entirely for me. I think the dark humor necessary to balance the blood, gore, vulgarity that other writers I’ve enjoyed along this vein achieve missed the mark here.
- Left it for a month and then came back and binged the second half. It felt best to consume it quickly for the most impact.

- Points are made. I absolutely get the messages and there is brilliance and value in the full novel.
- Still, while I loved WHALEFALL (highly recommend), this one didn’t entirely work for me. Though, I’m glad I finally finished it.

Kraus has lots of talent and it shows here, in this sometimes challenging story. Not really a fun read, but the ending is memorable and I enjoyed it overall.

Angel Down is historical thriller about five WWI soldiers who stumble upon a fallen angel that could hold the key to ending the war
—-

Kraus’s writing is a visceral display of prose flayed across the battlefield of war like the soldiers who fought it.

I almost felt I had to try and catch my breath while reading it, as each chapter started with ‘and,’ and gave it the feeling of reading one really long winded sentence. It was off putting for me, if I’m honest. Unfortunately this one just didn’t work for me. It felt long, and I admit I was a bit bored. That being said, there were alot of great parts and I still love Daniels writing style. I even learned a new game;
The Think of Anything Else in the World game 🙌.

I have now read three of Daniels books and they have all been so different but great in their own way. Although I am not a big historical fiction fan, I know lots of readers are, and this will be a hit for some.

I give this one ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️

I was a little hesitant at first about reading a book consisting of one really long sentence. However I am a huge Daniel Kraus fan and jumped in. It really works. The format is like a stream of thought that I would imagine someone would have experiencing the horrors of war. This was complex, brutal and thought provoking. It is a tough read but I was impressed with the story and the characters.

4 ⭐️

I struggle with hyperviolent horror because I have a hard time feeling like I can recommend it to anyone. I don't want anyone subjecting themselves to body horror like this at my recommendation, thinking I ~enjoyed~ it. That goes for a number of my reviews, but take this as a massive content warning; this book is unabashed in its violence to a hyperbolic degree.

With that being said, I think there's something very special here. The writing style of this book is unique and impactful, even if it does take some getting used to, and the effect it has on the ending of the book is undeniably thought-provoking. Kraus's prose and descriptions stand out over his plot here (with some descriptions I keep finding myself thinking of weeks later), but it's a unique take on a war horror novel that I found compelling.

I do love a story where even with religious overtones and fallen angels and the absurd, the true evil is man.

An easy five stars.

Once this book took off, it didn't stop. The characters were all very distinct and layered, and I don't think I can name another book with such clear-cut character growth. The writing was lyrical and smart, with bits of well-placed humor tucked into even the most gruesome scenes.

There was one moment in the story (won't say when!) that made me wonder if I was giving Daniel too much credit--was he really taking the easy way out with this particular plot line? But it quickly became clear that the moment had been intentional, and I was reminded that I was reading work by a master of the craft.

And the ending? Absolutely profound. I wish there were more people to talk about it with..pick it up!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.

I'm still not sure how I feel about this book. The format was a bit out of the ordinary and it was quite grim. That said, I love a dark speculative fiction and Kraus sure knows how to write them!

This was one of the most unique reading experiences I've had. The book ran the full gamut of human emotions. It kept you on the edge of your seat because there was never a low point in the story. Other readers may have a vastly different interpretation of the story. I believe it was about one man's spiritual journey...bringing him full circle in the end. The book also illustrates how every decision or action has a significant impact on those around us. It was a very intense read and I highly recommend it.

Angel Down is a darkly original blend of war novel and speculative fiction that lingers long after the last page. Set against the mud-soaked brutality of World War I, Daniel Kraus takes readers into the horrors of No Man’s Land and then layers in a supernatural twist that feels both haunting and strangely believable.

At the heart of the story are five soldiers—each deeply flawed, each carrying their own secrets—who stumble upon something impossible: a fallen angel. From there, the novel becomes less about the war outside and more about the battles within. Greed, fear, jealousy, and survival instincts collide, testing their humanity and raising unsettling questions about morality, faith, and what people will sacrifice for power or survival.

Kraus’s prose is vivid and cinematic, plunging you into the mud, smoke, and chaos of the trenches. At times, the shifting perspectives and heavy themes can slow the pace, but the moral complexity and eerie atmosphere keep the tension simmering. The juxtaposition of the divine with the inhumanity of war makes this book stand out as both a gripping survival tale and a chilling meditation on human nature.

Grim, thought-provoking, and beautifully unsettling, Angel Down is a powerful reminder that sometimes the greatest horrors come not from the battlefield—but from within ourselves.

4 Stars

Daniel Kraus’s Angel Down is a brutal, feverish plunge into the trenches of World War I, where the horrors of mechanized slaughter collide with the uncanny. The story follows Pvt. Cyril Bagger—a cynical con man turned soldier—who, along with a handful of expendable comrades, is sent into No Man’s Land to silence a wounded man’s endless screams. Instead, they find a fallen angel tangled in barbed wire, a discovery that forces each man to confront not only the nightmare of war but the greed, paranoia, and desperation festering within themselves.

The novel’s most striking feature is its style: one long, unspooling sentence that mimics both the chaos of trench life and the relentless churn of thought under extreme duress. At first, the format feels overwhelming, but soon its rhythm becomes hypnotic, carrying the reader through mud, blood, and existential dread with a cadence that mirrors the march of war. Kraus’s prose is visceral and lyrical in equal measure—gory enough to unsettle, poetic enough to linger.

That said, the structure won’t be for everyone. The experimental form occasionally risks overshadowing the story, and the pacing lags in places, especially before the angel fully enters the narrative. But once the book hits its stride, the tension between human depravity and the possibility of the divine makes for a uniquely harrowing experience.

What Angel Down does best is reveal that the true horror isn’t the angel at all, but the way war strips humanity bare. Kraus doesn’t offer easy answers or tidy resolutions—only the haunting suggestion that miracles, if they exist, are fragile things easily undone by human hands.

Uncompromising, inventive, and unforgettable, Angel Down won’t appeal to every reader, but for those willing to surrender to its strange, relentless form, it’s a singular take on historical horror that lingers long after the final page.

I was so shaken after reading this book, I completely forgot to update here!

This book left me utterly speechless. It's been a full day or more since I finished and I have not been able to stop thinking about it. I love everything about this novel; the prose and style captured the chaotic nature of war perfectly! It made the pace feel forced along and rushed, whether you, the reader, wanted to hurry along or not, and I really liked the effect that had on my brain.

This took me a while to get use to this style of writing but once I did, I was turning the pages.

This author did it again… made me feel.

Damn. This was gooooood!

Thank you so much to Daniel, Atria Books, & NetGalley for the early copy to read & review!

The story follows five soldiers who are asked to “take care of” a wounded soldier stuck on the battlefield. When they get out there, what they find is a fallen angel seemingly struck by artillery fire. What happens next is nothing short of a trip through hell. This angel could end the war, but will she end them first?

This book knocked me for a loop. It’s brutal, raw, existential, and GORY (I gagged twice LOL). The writing style is so unique. It’s one HUGE run on sentence written in such a way that you feel like the main character is telling you this story over drinks at the bar. Each paragraph, chapter, and part keeps you glued to the pages.

Now, the horror in this is obviously the depravity of war, but it’s also about the evil war brings out of regular old people. Some of the things these characters resort to for comfort left me speechless. I knew next to nothing about WWI when I started this book and once I was finished I was absolutely gutted. Just an absolute nightmare.

The ending tore me up. I was holding in tears on my lunch at work. It’s such a satisfying ending with a subtle hint that hits like a shot to the heart.

Im going to quote Ms. Lady Gaga for my final thoughts on this book: “Talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show stopping, spectacular, never the same….”

I will be thinking about this one for a long time.

...damn. What an unforgiving work of devastation. A true magnum opus. I love art that feels like an unravelling fever dream, and this left me breathless. Beautiful wordplay and timbre that felt perfectly reflective of the tone of silver-tongued preachers and the relentlessness of trench memoirs. I somehow wish Taylor Holmes (who'd done the recording of Boots) could've narrated the audiobook version.

My copy is thoroughly loved and annotated.

It is World War I, deep in the trenches of war. Cyril Bagger and 4 of his fellow soldiers are assigned to find a fallen soldier in distress, who is emitting a constant shriek. What they find instead is a fallen angel that they become determined to save. The appearance of the angel is different for each of them, as each sees in the angel, someone who was dear to them prior to the war. The mystery of the angel permeates the story, from beginning to end. Daniel Krause has written an extremely graphic tale of the horrors of the ordinary enlisted man in World War I trying to survive in the trenches. The book is a gruesome historical fiction, blended with both fantasy and horror. The characters he created to tell this story are memorable, but rarely likeable. Angel Down is a chilling look at the effects of war. It is a difficult and often slow read, but with an important message of the personal devastation of war. I am glad I read it. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy. The opinions of this review are my own.

I was provided a ARC of this book via Netgalley and Atria books, all opinions are my own.

I loved Whalefall by Daniel Krause, however this book is much different. This is set on the battlefields of WWI and follows Cyril Bagger as he trudges through the trenches and the mud (there is so much mud). Bagger isn't the best soldier nor is he a great guy, however when he stumbles across an angel his tune changes a bit. He spent his time prior his service in the Army running cons, and now he swindles his fellow soldiers every chance he gets and he stays as far away from the action as he can get. When he and his mates are sent to rescue a shrieking comrade they find something very different. The each have very different experiences with the angel that Bagger finds and it either brings out the worst or the best in each man.

This book while it has chapters is written as one big long sentence. There are plenty of commas, but there isn't much other punctuation if there is any. It was an interesting choice for writing style. I'm not a huge fan of stream of conscious style writing, and it typically doesn't work for me. The pace is also very slow. We don't meet the angel until many chapters in and much of that time is Bagger and his fellow soldiers tromping through mud contemplating their existence, which is probably a fairly accurate portrayal of what a soldier was going through at that time in France. The story focuses on Bagger's experiences and what is happening around him. Parts of this story are very gory and graphic which adds to the atmosphere. Each person who lays eyes on the angel has a very deep and personal reaction, and is forced to have an internal struggle the longer they are in her presence. They battle their internal demons and see who wins.

Overall I thought this was a very unique take on WWI historical horror. I really enjoyed Bagger's growth and his relationship with Arno. Overall the writing style and pacing on this one wasn't for me, I tend to enjoy this style more as an audiobook especially with the slower pace. The conflict and challenges each soldier faced were interesting and really captured the human condition.