Wings of Steel & Fury by Sarah J. Daley
Published by Watkins Media Limited
Age Group: Adult
Format: Fiction
Genres and Categories: Action, Adventure, Dystopian Fantasy, Theological Fantasy, Alternative Universe, Space, Angels, Undead, Brown Characters, Gay Characters, Mental Health Representation, Compulsion, Family Drama, Found Family, Magic Users, Royalty Characters, Mental Health, Trauma
My Rating:
Published on: 26th August 2025
Pages: 416
Disability Representation: Trauma, PTSD, depression, drug addiction, and missing eye.
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The human world is no place for a god, but toiling on Earth may just teach an angel how to fly once again…

Eleazar Starson, prince of Splendour and heir to the Great Throne of Honor, is living his worst nightmare. Betrayed and grievously injured, he has been cast from a world of light and beauty to suffer in the Below, a world of darkness and despair populated with demonic ghouls and vile creatures. It is a terrible world, a human world. It is an awful place for a god, especially one as beautiful and brilliant as Eleazar.

But, broken and lost, he is a god struggling in the muck, his only allies a pair of atheist siblings who would sooner worship a burnt ghoul than show him proper obeisance and the closest gateway back to Splendour is half a world away through a wild and daunting landscape of chaos, monsters and men. He has no choice but to endure the unspeakable horrors of this human place, this war-torn world of carbines and steel rails and smoke-belching factories, not if he wishes to return to Splendour and reclaim his place among the Angelus.

This book was provided for free by NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book!

Content Warnings:

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In Wings of Steel and Fury by Sarah J. Daley, humanity is ruled by winged immortals known as Angelus. Revered by humanity as deities, they couldn’t be further from the truth. When an angel crash-lands on Earth, two siblings help him to heal and learn the truth about their so-called rulers. The three form an unlikely bond and work together to topple Earth’s angelic overlords. 

This is the second book by Sarah J. Daley that I have read, and once again, I was blown away by the world-building. It is complex, thorough and unique, offering a new take on angels. While there were still religious undercurrents, I liked the way Daley introduced a more science fiction providence for the angels. Unfortunately, we were only given a few glimpses of Splendour, the Angelus’ home. Most of the book takes place on Earth, or the gargantuan ships the Angelus use to traverse the barrier between their world and Earth.

Daley’s skill in world-building sadly does not transfer to her characters and overall plot. I picked up Wings of Steel and Fury, hoping to find an improvement, and sadly, my thoughts are very similar to the ones I had about her previous novel, Obsidian. The main characters in Wings of Steel and Fury  lack substance, and I felt no emotional connection to them. I was not that invested in their success, and the romance didn’t grab my attention at all. If anything, it felt a little cliché. Eleazar is pansexual, and both siblings are attracted to him, but ultimately, he ends up with a woman.

The same thing happened in Obsidian; the main character was bisexual, yet their main romantic interests were all male. As a bisexual woman in a long-term relationship, I’m aware that this isn’t unusual. However, twice is a pattern, and it concerns me that Daley is not fully developing her queer characters. It feels more like a tick box situation rather than an interest in representation, and that is never a good thing.

There was quite a bit of downtime in this book, and the first 30 to 50% has a very slow pace. I felt like there was a bit too much time focused on Eleazar’s covelescene, and there are only so many ways to describe someone recovering from injuries. It became repetitive quite quickly and was followed by a journey that also dragged on. By the time the story started to get interesting, I was quite fatigued from the lack of action.

I was also bothered by the lack of a clear historical timeline and setting. From the level of technology and references to war, it appears that Daley has incorporated elements of contemporary history. Enough to be recognisable, and yet vague enough that it’s unclear whether Wings of Steel and Fury  is based on history or merely inspired by it. It is the only part of the world-building that feels incomplete, and dare I say, rushed. 

I was able to finish Wings of Steel and Fury, and although it was enjoyable, it felt very lacklustre to me. Other readers may find it more interesting, but personally, I won’t be picking up a third novel by Daley. I am sure her future projects will continue to excel in world-building. I just don’t think her style of writing is for me. 

Thanks for reading my book review for Wings of Steel and Fury  by Sarah J. Daley!

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