As a deeply pious elf in a society full of pagans, Reul Tomala spent much of his time fighting for his beliefs and arguing with his peers everywhere he went. He heard every argument and knew every method to debunk it, but eventually he became so fed up with correcting one particular, egregiously flawed argument against Vendaiism that he wrote seven volumes of a book, Deliverance Of Salvation.

The question was: If God is so loving and merciful, why did He cast us out of heaven, condemning us to so much pain and suffering?

Deliverance of Salvation eloquently explains that exile was mercy by exploring an alternate history where God never banished us.

In reality, God banished us many eons ago. In DoS, the elven empire spent those eons conquering their way across an endless planet in a war without purpose or end. But God still loves us and keeps trying to redeem us despite out constant failures. So He tasks a young, idealistic priest with delivering a medallion to a general on the frontlines – a keepsake of the general’s dead wife to soften his hearts before he orders the destruction of an entire civilization. The priest is joined by spirits, a fallen angel, and war-obsessed murderers as their souls unknowingly yearn for redemption and the love of their heavenly Father.

Not only do they fail at every turn, but the pages drip with depictions of insanity, needless cruelty, and gratuitous scenes of violence on elves who did nothing wrong. I genuinely started thinking it was irresponsible for God to let this continue.

Exile was mercy because we deserved far worse.

DoS is a fantastic book that I cannot recommend highly enough. I read all seven volumes during the winter, then volunteered to help write copies for distribution.