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Rating: 
Summary: Things come to a conclusion, even if somewhat unsatisfying.
Review: Better than the last book. Things come to a conclusion, which is good because its the last book. Things are also more fully explained for example the nature of the Malakim and the sun boy king. The very end is a bit disappointing in the way he decides to bring about a "happy ending" and bring everything to a resolution. Though to be fair I couldn't see that there was much he could of done different other than destoying the world, which doesn't happen. I give it a B-.
Rating: 
Summary: No place to go but down
Review: DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK
GO TO THE LIBRARY AND BORROW IT FOR FREE
IT IS NOT WORTH ITIt is a sad thing when an author starts a series with a great idea, like rewriting history with a different set of scientific laws, but then doesn't know how to finish the story. I originally bought the first two books in the series by accident but was happily surprised when I finally sat down and read them. Then when the third came out I was excited to continue the journey, but upon finishing I was somewhat let down. But now, even though I still have 50 pages left, I have been sorely let down. Keyes seems to have lost track of his characters, giving them outlandish abilities which work in no logical sense. The great powers of the Earth find themselves prostrate over their own minor problems which they never got around to dealing with earlier on in the series. And further, this is the point which angers me the most, the French witch Adrienne becomes a sad copy of Franks Herbert's, Lady Jessica of the Dune series. She is supposed to be a being not born on chance, but of a breading program monitored over centuries to produce a superbeing. HELLO? This a complete copy off of his plot thread, used to fill in a story loop hole so large a small moon could easily fall into it. The philosophies brought about have become more mundane with each page. The ideas never coming to any sort of fruition understandable by any sensible reader. The lead characters have lost the readers attention, and have become less important than the much more interesting less brooding supporting cast. How sad it is when an want to be writter has a good idea but no story arch.
Rating:
Summary: The Design of the Apocalypse
Review: Nothing makes a series [better then] a reader like extended delays between volumes. Unfortunately for me, not only was J. Gregory Keyes a long time in issuing this last volume in the 'Age of Unreason Series,' marketing for it was so poor that it was a year before I actually found it, and even longer until I finally started to read it. Given the scope of the series, this nearly caused me do decide not to read it. The key of the problem is that the cast of characters is immense, and seems to include everyone of note in Europe and North America from Isaac Newton and Ben Franklin to Tsar Peter the Great. At the beginning of 'The Shadows of God' Keyes spends about 40 pages re-introducing his characters. Before I gave up counting he had mentioned thirty major characters and a host of lesser. Moreover, while diligent in the matter of name-dropping, Keyes makes no effort to provide continuity between this volume and its predecessor. As such, it was a while before I remembered that Keyes had Newton discover the existence of the Malakim, angels who intersected with the human world and whose powers could be harnessed. As he and his student Ben Franklin move across Europe, great powers are set in motion, eventually leading to London's utter destruction by an aimed meteor, and a Russian attempt to conquer the world. With Europe in tatters, the action shifts to the new world, where men battle men and Malakim, and everyone who can tries to destroy their enemies and take the earth for their own. In North America, invading armies of the Malakim inspired Sun Boy and James Stuart, pretender to the English Throne prepare to overwhelm the indigenous races and colonists from New England to New France. Ben Franklin is the ringleader in for those who oppose the Malakim as he tries to deal with overpowering magic, traitors on every side, and the rulers of New France, Sweden and Russia. With his family life in a shambles, and his imagination stretched to its limits Franklin must prepare to fight a battle that truly is the apocalypse. This is primarily alternate history, based on the thesis that Newton's discoveries were of the laws of magic rather than those of science. Misled into thinking that the Malakim were harmless, Newton did not realize that these were the fallen angels, stranded on earth by God, and that many of them fiercely desire the end of man. The fascination of a new scientific system, and Keyes' great writing are what keep the series moving, and this volume is no exception, despite the slow start. The book probes the possibility of a universe based on and entirely different meta-narrative and the effects of that world on those that people it. It also questions the significance of good and evil and God's place in the entirety of corruption. Keyes created a high action plot while taking the time to investigate philosophical and emotional considerations. In the end, I found the story very satisfying, but be warned that 'The Shadows of God' would be nearly unreadable for someone who has not read the first three volumes. It is unfortunate that Keyes will probably never get the recognition he deserves for this work of science fantasy. If you have the opportunity and the time, you will find the series well worth reading.
Rating:
Summary: The Design of the Apocalypse
Review: Nothing makes a series [better then] a reader like extended delays between volumes. Unfortunately for me, not only was J. Gregory Keyes a long time in issuing this last volume in the 'Age of Unreason Series,' marketing for it was so poor that it was a year before I actually found it, and even longer until I finally started to read it. Given the scope of the series, this nearly caused me do decide not to read it. The key of the problem is that the cast of characters is immense, and seems to include everyone of note in Europe and North America from Isaac Newton and Ben Franklin to Tsar Peter the Great. At the beginning of 'The Shadows of God' Keyes spends about 40 pages re-introducing his characters. Before I gave up counting he had mentioned thirty major characters and a host of lesser. Moreover, while diligent in the matter of name-dropping, Keyes makes no effort to provide continuity between this volume and its predecessor. As such, it was a while before I remembered that Keyes had Newton discover the existence of the Malakim, angels who intersected with the human world and whose powers could be harnessed. As he and his student Ben Franklin move across Europe, great powers are set in motion, eventually leading to London's utter destruction by an aimed meteor, and a Russian attempt to conquer the world. With Europe in tatters, the action shifts to the new world, where men battle men and Malakim, and everyone who can tries to destroy their enemies and take the earth for their own. In North America, invading armies of the Malakim inspired Sun Boy and James Stuart, pretender to the English Throne prepare to overwhelm the indigenous races and colonists from New England to New France. Ben Franklin is the ringleader in for those who oppose the Malakim as he tries to deal with overpowering magic, traitors on every side, and the rulers of New France, Sweden and Russia. With his family life in a shambles, and his imagination stretched to its limits Franklin must prepare to fight a battle that truly is the apocalypse. This is primarily alternate history, based on the thesis that Newton's discoveries were of the laws of magic rather than those of science. Misled into thinking that the Malakim were harmless, Newton did not realize that these were the fallen angels, stranded on earth by God, and that many of them fiercely desire the end of man. The fascination of a new scientific system, and Keyes' great writing are what keep the series moving, and this volume is no exception, despite the slow start. The book probes the possibility of a universe based on and entirely different meta-narrative and the effects of that world on those that people it. It also questions the significance of good and evil and God's place in the entirety of corruption. Keyes created a high action plot while taking the time to investigate philosophical and emotional considerations. In the end, I found the story very satisfying, but be warned that 'The Shadows of God' would be nearly unreadable for someone who has not read the first three volumes. It is unfortunate that Keyes will probably never get the recognition he deserves for this work of science fantasy. If you have the opportunity and the time, you will find the series well worth reading.
Rating: 
Summary: Exciting conclusion--powerful characters
Review: Russia and England, dominated by angels working to destroy humanity, are on the verge of success. Only a small group of Americans, including European exiles, Indians, and colonists, now stand against them. In an alternate reality, Isaac Newton discovered not only science but also magic and the world must now face the consequences. Led by Benjamin Franklin, the resistance gathers in Louisiana for their final confrontation. Franklin builds fabulous machines that might just be able to slow the angelic forces, but outnumbered as his men are, they have little chance for success. Especially as he can't really trust even those who are supposedly on his side. J. Gregory Keyes does an excellent job creating characters that the reader can believe in and identify with. From Franklin himself, torn between love for his wife and desire for other women; Red Shoes, the Indian shaman with a snake in his soul; to Addrienne de Mornay de Montchevreuil, who still loves the son she bore and who now threatens the universe. The depth of these characters makes it easy for the reader to care about the novel, about the adventure, and about the danger that Franklin's small band of outnumbered soldiers and mages must face. A fine novel.
Rating:
Summary: Tying it all up...
Review: The fourth book in the Age of Unreason series brings all of the plot threads from the previous books back together. Characters return who haven't been seen since the first or second book, as well as the cast that's followed throughout the entire series. Benjamen Franklin & Adrienne (as always) take center stage in this volume, but the other characters have their moments to shine as well. Without giving away too much of the plot of the series, let's just say that this is an alternate history in which Isaac Newton refined alchemy, and where a host of otherworldly beings are manipulating events to bring about the destruction of mankind. The author is well versed in religion and belief systems, and teh world that is created is vivid enough to also display a deep knowledge of history. Since this is a time period (around the mid-1730's in this book) that hasn't had a lot of fantasy written in it, the characters are fresh and new, rather than some eras which have been used far too much. Voltaire, Peter the Great, Charles XII of Sweden, King Phillippe of Spain (and Louisiana), and many other historical figures come to life. I really loved the entire series. At the point of climax in this book and of the entire series, unfortunately, things begin to get cloudy and what happens isn't perfectly clear. But in the final chapter, Keyes makes it clear that it's not clear to the characters either, even the ones most instrumental in what happened. Using Franklin's love of reason, he explains what happens and, given the fine story we've just read, the readers are willing to give a slight nod and accept Franklin's explanation... with the knowledge that these characters will continue trying to find answers.
Rating:
Summary: Tying it all up...
Review: The fourth book in the Age of Unreason series brings all of the plot threads from the previous books back together. Characters return who haven't been seen since the first or second book, as well as the cast that's followed throughout the entire series. Benjamen Franklin & Adrienne (as always) take center stage in this volume, but the other characters have their moments to shine as well. Without giving away too much of the plot of the series, let's just say that this is an alternate history in which Isaac Newton refined alchemy, and where a host of otherworldly beings are manipulating events to bring about the destruction of mankind. The author is well versed in religion and belief systems, and teh world that is created is vivid enough to also display a deep knowledge of history. Since this is a time period (around the mid-1730's in this book) that hasn't had a lot of fantasy written in it, the characters are fresh and new, rather than some eras which have been used far too much. Voltaire, Peter the Great, Charles XII of Sweden, King Phillippe of Spain (and Louisiana), and many other historical figures come to life. I really loved the entire series. At the point of climax in this book and of the entire series, unfortunately, things begin to get cloudy and what happens isn't perfectly clear. But in the final chapter, Keyes makes it clear that it's not clear to the characters either, even the ones most instrumental in what happened. Using Franklin's love of reason, he explains what happens and, given the fine story we've just read, the readers are willing to give a slight nod and accept Franklin's explanation... with the knowledge that these characters will continue trying to find answers.
Rating:
Summary: The fireworks are over - a consummation
Review: The series as a whole deserves 5 stars, even if any individual book might weaker. In fact, I think Calculus of Angels is the best written of the four. But you have to read all four, starting with Newton's Cannon (otherwise said: no one would read just 'Return of the King', either). As the previous reviewer wrote, it is all tied up here, even if it is all not very clear. We are talking about a reorganization of the universe, after all, so I'm sure that's a difficult task for any novelist to describe. The forewarning and oracular dream sequences of the earlier novels are missing here, because we come to the end, I suppose. For which I'm kind of sad. It was fun while it lasted. This page-turner took me a day to read, pretty much as the others did. We *could* have a separate thread on what some of the characters actually mean, and what actually happenned to them, i.e. Euler is the same as the Woman under the Hill?, was the Sun Boy blinded by the Malakim (or by Swedenborg, himself nearly blind) in the beginning, his last sight perhaps that of the moon? Still a lot of post hoc interpretation possible here, even after the fireworks are over.
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