Abaddon is a work of fiction and completely psychological. Any post-apocalyptic or dystopian fiction about how the world falls into chaos is going to be different because each author will have varying ways to identify with how they would handle life after a major crisis. Psychological aspects of every scenario may overtly share the same common denominator, like a world depleted of life save for very few who were able to be spared while everyone else turns into zombies or undead. But, for most, this isn’t the actual grit of the story. It is the living that makes all of the difference from how the story carries on. This third In the Valley installment digs deeper into the minds of the living once they've lost the things that make them human and have survived well over expectation. For some, it makes you fight harder. For others, it breaks you and turns you into someone you never knew you could become.

Sam and Luis have parted ways, albeit unwillingly on Luis' end. Leaving a note about unfinished business, Luis feels the dread that can only come from knowing that you've failed someone. Unable to help her move on, past her pain and loss, Luis goes on a search to find Wynona and her siblings. Sam's past haunts her and the loss of her husband rests heavily on her shoulders as she feels a need for revenge. As she sets out for what she believes to be her salvation. If she willingly murders those who have wronged her, will it ease her pain? What makes her different from them if she does? While Luis and Sam have their own paths to follow, knowing that they may never see each other again, Jason finds Sarah and begins to piece back his life in the only way he knows how, without the hand he was forced to leave behind during a fight with the infected. How will these character's lives change and how will they face the realization that they are responsible for their own actions in the end?

Abaddon by Stephen Kennedy is an extreme, fictional work of art. Beautifully written, it is a direct continuance of the second installment, The Pit. While the first installment laid out how everything happened and the plan of action, the second installment leads readers into the complexity of the human mind right after a crisis, but the third really takes the cake with full-blown emotional distress. Now we see what happens when Kennedy's characters have had time to lament over their past and what they've endured. The scenes are vivid, the story creative, and the characters' personalities have warped from how they used to be. The change is evident and the strain palpable. Readers will be engaged and hanging on the edge of their seats, waiting for the next scene. Who will live? Who will die? There are a few spelling and grammatical errors, but this should not hinder enjoyment of the novel. Overall, the pace is steady and the psychological aspect of the story is credible. If you are a reader of science fiction, post-apocalyptic and psychological fiction, this may be exactly what you are looking for. This is the third installment of the In the Valley series. It is recommended for readers to start with book one, then read the second installment prior to this one, since this is a direct continuance and does often cross-reference information from prior scenes in Among the Dead and The Pit.

An advanced electronic copy of this book was provided to Turning Another Page by Reedsy Discovery and in no way affects the honesty of this review. We provide a five-star rating to Abaddon by Stephen Kennedy.