The Infinite Day by Chris Walley Published by: Tyndale House Publishers (2008) 576 pages Rating: 10/10 Buy it Now:    Also by Chris Walley: The Shadow and Night The Dark Foundations

By any definition, The Infinite Day is a triumphant conclusion to The Lamb Among the Stars series. Since this is the final book in this series, if you've been reading it, you're going to keep reading it. And if you haven't, why not? Hopefully, this final review will help persuade you.

When you've been reading about a storyline and specific characters for over a thousand pages, there are certain things that are necessary to make a satisfying conclusion.

First of all, there has to be a significant payoff to the main storyline. The Infinite Day pays it off and gives back change. Every single element is resolved satisfactorily and then some. You want drama? It's here. Massive confrontation between good and evil? It's here. Significant sci-fi elements all tied in together? Ditto. This climax is mind-blowing.

Second of all, there has to be a satisfactory resolution for each major character's "arc." In this series, there have been two primary protagonists - Merral 'Davanos and Vero - along with two major antagonists - Margrave Lezaroth and Lord-Emperor Nezhuala. Each one of them come to a very specific resolution, as do a number of the supporting cast.

And third... it's not enough to have a major dramatic climax. There must be an ending - a very real conclusion that leaves us satisfied and happy about it all. In this case, The Infinite Day is beautiful. Eternity is a subject that has often been poorly portrayed in fiction. The Bible tells us that our minds can't even imagine the things God has prepared for us. So why is it so few authors have even bothered to let their imaginations run wild? After all, our wildest imagination just isn't wild enough. It's even better than that. Chris Walley has not been afraid to let his imagination be set free, and he's given us a truly inspiring vision, one that I'm sure I'll be re-reading frequently.

As an alternate example, the Left Behind series failed in all three of the above requirements. The conclusion was just too rushed, too hectic, and somewhat too bizarre. Other storylines have done better or worse. This one... succeeds admirably.

When I first began reading this series, I had my doubts. After all, I disagreed with the author on some major issues, which seemed to be significant parts of the plot. But once I set those aside and dealt with it as speculative fiction, I found something truly enjoyable and exciting. This series ranks among the best on my shelves.

The Lamb Among the Stars has actually lived up to its cover hype - a triumph of imagination. Highly Recommended.