Historical Fiction · TenseFive soldiers sent into no-man's-land in World War I find something not of this world
Angel Down
by Daniel Kraus
Five soldiers sent into No Man's Land find a fallen angel
In the First World War, Private Cyril Bagger, who survives by his wits and deception, is sent with four other soldiers into No Man's Land to euthanize a wounded comrade. Instead they find an angel that has fallen, apparently brought down by artillery. The being could help end the war, but only if the men set aside their selfish desires and work together. Jealousy, greed and paranoia begin to pull them apart.
More about this book
Who
Cyril Bagger, a private first class who dodged the draft before ending up in the army. Four other soldiers go with him: Arno, young and innocent; Popkin, a brute; Goodspeed, who is nervous; and Veck, who suffers from severe shell shock. Their commander, Major General Reis, is focused on his own advancement.
World
The Meuse-Argonne offensive in France, near the end of World War I, amid the violence of trench warfare.
What makes it different
The whole novel is written as one unbroken sentence, divided only by paragraph indentations. It begins mid-sentence and mid-battle.
Feel
A paranormal war thriller. It was published in July 2025, appeared on several end-of-year best lists, and won the 2026 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.