They are the Anointed—gifted with superpowers and chosen by God. But in their last battle they were routed and fractured by a dark power. As they struggle with the broken pieces, the darkness spreads.

Jason C. Joyner’s superhero fantasy Anointed concludes the Rise of the Anointed Trilogy. Book 3 offers a signature blend of superheroes, spiritual warfare, and teens on the brink of adulthood. A host of details gives local flavor to the Pacific Coast setting. Characters are realistic and sympathetic; heroes have faults, and villains have reasons. Spiritual elements pervade the story, from the use of Scripture to supernatural forces. Anointed mixes hope with peril while exploring gifts, purpose, and strife in a fallen world.

Best for: Young adult audiences, fans of Frank Peretti and superhero fiction.

Discern: Some violence that most often involves adolescents, references to past abuse, a demonic force exerts considerable power over humans with a murky line between influence and possession, a professing Christian is temporarily possessed/influenced, one man returns from death by divine intervention that may raise theological questions for some readers.