Retells the classic Christian story of the war in Heaven between angels led by the Archangel Michael and others led by Satan. The war ends with the defeat and casting to Earth of the latter. The plot emphasises themes of protagonists fighting a ruling hierarchy, and attempting to escape it, as well as "hiddenness, delusion, revolution, and epiphany ... a literary exploration of existential choices in an apocalyptic context". It is written, says René Boylesve, with a "deft levity". Mutual antagonism between God and his angels is emphasised, which leads to disgruntlement and ultimately rebellion by the latter. The book tells the story of Arcade, the guardian angel of Maurice d'Esparvieu. Bored because Bishop d'Esparvieu is sinless, Arcade begins reading the bishop's books on theology and becomes an atheist. He moves to Paris, meets a woman, falls in love, and loses his virginity, causing his wings to fall off. He then joins the revolutionary movement of fallen angels, and meets the Devil, who realizes that if he overthrew God, he will become just like God. Arcade realizes that replacing God with another is meaningless unless "in ourselves and in ourselves alone we attack and destroy Ialdabaoth." Ialdabaoth is characterized in Gnosticism as a malevolent lesser God who believes he himself alone is God, ignorant of the heavens above him. According to France, his name Ialdabaoth means "child who wanders".

English translation of: La révolte des anges.

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