Status
Available
Call number
Original publication date
1996
Publication
Ace (1997), Edition: Reissue, 400 pages
Description
Fantasy. Fiction. Romance. HTML:From national bestselling author Sharon Shinn comes a stunningly beautiful novel of a distant future�??where the fate of the world rests on the voice of an angel... Through science, faith, and force of will, the Harmonics carved out for themselves a society that they conceived as perfect. Diverse peoples held together by respect for each other. Angels to guard the mortals and mystics to guard the forbidden knowldge. Jehovah to watch over them all... Generations later, the armed starship Jehovah still looms over the planet of Samaria, programmed to unleash its arsenal if peace is not sustained. But with the coming of an age of corruption, Samaria's only hope lies in the crowning of a new Archangel. The oracles have chosen Gabriel for this honor, and further decreed that he must first wed a mortal woman named Rachel. It is his destiny and hers. And Gabriel is certain that she will greet the news of her betrothal with enthusiasm, and a devotion to duty equal to his own. Rachel, however, has other ideas... Winner of the William Crawford Award for Achievement in Fantasy Nominated for the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer … (more)
Subjects
Awards
IAFA William L. Crawford Fantasy Award (Winner — 1996)
Original language
English
Language
ISBN
0441004326 / 9780441004324
Similar in this library
User reviews
LibraryThing member seitherin
This is one of those romance novels wrapped in a cloak of something other so it will not be stuck with the romance genre tag. In this case, it is wrapped in the wings of angels so it can be a fantasy instead. Unfortunately, the writing style tosses romance novel grandiloquence amidst what is mostly
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mediocre wordsmithing. As a fantasy novel, the book leaves much to be desired. As a romance, it was a pretty good read. Show Less
LibraryThing member Hornedeagle
I'm listening to the audio book version, so it is taking me longer than I would like to get through this - I am just over half way through. But already I have two major complaints about this book:
1) The plot reads like a fanfic version of Dragonflight (Dragonriders of Pern Bk 1). I say fanfic
2) I really, really, really don't like Rachel. She is meant to be strong, but to me she only seems to be spiteful, stubborn and selfish. Oh yes - she does care for the poor abandoned children, but when Gabriel is trying to end slavery (the institution to which she herself fell victim) she has no concern at all for his efforts and does nothing to help him. She tries to curse an entire city for the sin of enslaving her, without paying any attention to the thousands of fellow slaves, innocent children etc who would also be affected. She has no wider concern outside herself and her own pet causes at all. This is where she moves away from the Lessa comparison I made above. Lessa is a bit of a bitch - she is prideful, makes mistakes, and yes she is a little bit spiteful too, but she really cares about the fate of her planet, her home and her people, and she is very smart and politically savvy. Rachel doesn't really give a damn about anyone except the poor children and a few down trodden wives. She throws major tantrums without real reason, and without a care for the consequences. She keeps everyone in the dark about her singing abilities just so that she can torment them. She tries to seduce Obadiah in order to make Gabriel jealous. She leaves the eyrie just when Gabriel really needs her help, and she throws a hissy fit if someone looks at her sideways. She is generally a little bit stupid.
I once read Shinn's Jenna Starborn, which is a takeoff of Jane Eyre, and I really didn't like that either. Shinn shouldn't try to rip off other people's plots - it fails miserably when she does. Her world building is, as always, superb, but the characters and plot are really weak and frankly obnoxious. I wish she would stick to writing her own plots - when she does she is a great author.
One third annoyance: the narrator of this audiobook is not awful, but she does do strange things with people's voices - Josiah for example is inextricably Texan, while the female side characters all have annoying high-pitched voices. It grates after a while.
1) The plot reads like a fanfic version of Dragonflight (Dragonriders of Pern Bk 1). I say fanfic
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because its not as good, and the plotting is rather pedestrian. So far at least the villain/overarching evil is not very important to the story, the two main characters are completely incapable of sustaining a civil conversation and not much is happening at all. But back to the Pern analogy: Gabriel is a rather priggish version of F'lar - instead of a dragon he has wings of his own! He has a sense of his own destiny and knows that he is the one who must kick the planet back into shape with the help of his dragon chos... sorry, God chosen bride. Rachel is of course Lessa - she has been enslaved, but was never broken, has been brought to the eyrie against her will and is very suspicious of everything and everyone there, and a bit of a bitch. There are further character comparisons - Hannah/Manora (runs the household, mother to the hero's half-brother, a bit aloof), Nathan/F'nor (half-brother, advisor, in love with a taboo angel/gold rider), Judith/Kylara, Josiah/Robinton, Obadiah/N'ton (okay I'm reaching a bit on those last two, but they do roughly perform the same function). Some characters even get to be two Pernese riders: Raphael is combo of R'gul - who is lazy, kowtows to the holders (here they are the merchants) and does not believe; and T'ton/T'ron who is handsome, charismatic, power hungry and a total asshat. 2) I really, really, really don't like Rachel. She is meant to be strong, but to me she only seems to be spiteful, stubborn and selfish. Oh yes - she does care for the poor abandoned children, but when Gabriel is trying to end slavery (the institution to which she herself fell victim) she has no concern at all for his efforts and does nothing to help him. She tries to curse an entire city for the sin of enslaving her, without paying any attention to the thousands of fellow slaves, innocent children etc who would also be affected. She has no wider concern outside herself and her own pet causes at all. This is where she moves away from the Lessa comparison I made above. Lessa is a bit of a bitch - she is prideful, makes mistakes, and yes she is a little bit spiteful too, but she really cares about the fate of her planet, her home and her people, and she is very smart and politically savvy. Rachel doesn't really give a damn about anyone except the poor children and a few down trodden wives. She throws major tantrums without real reason, and without a care for the consequences. She keeps everyone in the dark about her singing abilities just so that she can torment them. She tries to seduce Obadiah in order to make Gabriel jealous. She leaves the eyrie just when Gabriel really needs her help, and she throws a hissy fit if someone looks at her sideways. She is generally a little bit stupid.
I once read Shinn's Jenna Starborn, which is a takeoff of Jane Eyre, and I really didn't like that either. Shinn shouldn't try to rip off other people's plots - it fails miserably when she does. Her world building is, as always, superb, but the characters and plot are really weak and frankly obnoxious. I wish she would stick to writing her own plots - when she does she is a great author.
One third annoyance: the narrator of this audiobook is not awful, but she does do strange things with people's voices - Josiah for example is inextricably Texan, while the female side characters all have annoying high-pitched voices. It grates after a while.
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LibraryThing member amf0001
I read this when it first came out, when I now realize was about 10 years ago. I love the ideas here, how cleverly Shinn plays with Biblical motifs and creates something totally new. As a reread, I could pay more attention to the language, and found that the plot/concept is more sublte than the way
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it is told, so sometimes the words are a little graceless, but the world building is excellent, and the book is a dream. I always find the personality of Rachel difficult, she is so self centered, but I imagine pain and loss and slavery could do that to you. I really like Gabriel, a good angel. struggling with others frailties. The writing has a fable like quality which suits the story well. It is a romance, but with no sex (one small kiss!) but with wonderful characters and a world worth exploring. I'm off to reread the rest of the series. Show Less
LibraryThing member AltheaAnn
Samaria Series
If all romance books were like these, I might consider myself to be a fan of romance novels in general.
The 'Samaria' series is primarily romance - but it's balanced with enough other plot elements that it doesn't get too tedious. They're even frequently... romantic!... in a way that
I did read all five books back-to-back, which meant that some of the elements did get a little repetitive. Obviously, to a certain degree, Shinn found a formula and stuck with it. It wouldn't have bothered me at all if I hadn't been doing a Samaria marathon, though.
They are undeniably wish-fulfillment-based books. These are designed for women who think that having a drop-dead-gorgeous, preternaturally strong, winged lover who can pick you up and fly you through the sky is a super-sexy idea.
In tone and feel, I thought these were actually very similar to Anne McCaffrey's Pern series. They've got the nominally sci-fi setting, the fantasy 'feel,' and the character-based plot elements, with a similar mix of action, politics and personal drama.
All of the books are fully stand-alone stories.
Archangel
The angel Gabriel is set to become the next Archangel, as decreed by the voice of Jovah. However, before he ascends to his position of leadership, he must find the wife determined for him by his god - a woman named Rachel. Without an Angelica (the female counterpart to the Archangel), the complex acappella musical concert known as the Gloria cannot occur, and Jovah will rain destruction upon the land.
Being named Angelica is an honor that all girls dream of - so what could possibly go wrong? Plenty, if your destined bride belongs to a persecuted ethnic group, and has been sold into slavery - and bears no love toward angels.
Jovah's Angel
Set around 100 years after the first book. In a dramatic beginning, the well-respected Archangel Delilah is crippled in a storm, her consort killed, and Jovah names a most unlikely successor to replace her: a shy, studious angel named Alleluia (or, informally, Alleya). Like in the previous book, Alleya must find her predestined mate - but Jehovah does not know his name, identifying him only as "son of Jeremiah." Things are further complicated by Alleya's growing feelings for the inventor Caleb (who makes a bunch of steampunk-y stuff). But Caleb cannot be her destined mate... can he?
Meanwhile, Delila must deal with her feelings of resentment, and learn to live without flying. But of course, she'll find someone too - a man of the Edori (an ethnic group that resemble Jewish gypsies.)
Meanwhile - a big issue is going on. When the angels sing the songs that control the weather, often nothing happens. Climate change is leading to disaster.
I didn't like this one quite as much as the first in the series, mainly because I wasn't thrilled by the theme of industrialization going on in Samaria. Also, all the technological/sci-fi elements that were alluded to in the first book are made very clear in this story, and some of the mystery is lost. It won me over, after a while, though.
The Alleluia Files
A few hundred years have passed... The Archangel at this time, Bael, is cruel and harsh. He rules with a strong hand, and is secretly committing genocide against the Jacobites, claiming their heresies threaten the land. But - does he secretly know that their heretical stances regarding the god Jovah are true?
Far more than the other books, this one has a clear villain (Bael). However, the clear hero, the upstanding and just Jared, will make things right, if he can ever stop being too lazy to bother. He'll be helped out by the angel Lucinda, who has grown up on an isolated island, far from the politics of the angel's Aerie, and the strong-willed Tamar, a member of the heretic Jacobites.
Angelica
The Archangel Gaaron has his life mate picked out for him by Jovah. Never before has an Edori woman been picked to be Angelica - but although Susannah has the implant that allows Jovah to track the people of Samaria, unlike the Edori, she has been raised by the Edori and identifies with them. She's also only just broken up with her long term lover. (He was a big jerk though, so the reader is sure she will get over him.) She's not at all sure she wants to be Angelica. (Sound familiar? Yeah.) This one is set far before all the other books. Like in the other books, there's also a social problem to address while the romance is given time to develop: mysterious, disappearing invaders are attacking and burning the caravans of both Edori and Jansai, as well as isolated villages.
The day will be saved, and love will triumph.
Angel-Seeker
After finishing the previous book in the series, I was thinking: "Hey, are we ever going to get to see the point of view of one of the oppressed Jansai women? Pretty much all the other ethnic groups in Samaria have been covcered by POV characters." And, ta-da, here we are. Rebekah's charcter is very well done, actually. She's a rebellious girl in a repressive culture, but even after she falls in love with an angel, her ties to family and tradition hold her in a frighteningly realistic way. She also horribly underestimates her fate, if she's caught...
Meanwhile, the title character, Elizabeth, becomes an angel-seeker - a woman who desires more than anything, to bear an angel child, and will do pretty much anything to further that goal. Again, the motivations here were really well portrayed.
Both women grow as individuals over the course of the book - and, of course, find love.
If all romance books were like these, I might consider myself to be a fan of romance novels in general.
The 'Samaria' series is primarily romance - but it's balanced with enough other plot elements that it doesn't get too tedious. They're even frequently... romantic!... in a way that
Show More
doesn't (usually) make me want to strangle the characters! (They're never explicit/erotic, though.)I did read all five books back-to-back, which meant that some of the elements did get a little repetitive. Obviously, to a certain degree, Shinn found a formula and stuck with it. It wouldn't have bothered me at all if I hadn't been doing a Samaria marathon, though.
They are undeniably wish-fulfillment-based books. These are designed for women who think that having a drop-dead-gorgeous, preternaturally strong, winged lover who can pick you up and fly you through the sky is a super-sexy idea.
In tone and feel, I thought these were actually very similar to Anne McCaffrey's Pern series. They've got the nominally sci-fi setting, the fantasy 'feel,' and the character-based plot elements, with a similar mix of action, politics and personal drama.
All of the books are fully stand-alone stories.
Archangel
The angel Gabriel is set to become the next Archangel, as decreed by the voice of Jovah. However, before he ascends to his position of leadership, he must find the wife determined for him by his god - a woman named Rachel. Without an Angelica (the female counterpart to the Archangel), the complex acappella musical concert known as the Gloria cannot occur, and Jovah will rain destruction upon the land.
Being named Angelica is an honor that all girls dream of - so what could possibly go wrong? Plenty, if your destined bride belongs to a persecuted ethnic group, and has been sold into slavery - and bears no love toward angels.
Jovah's Angel
Set around 100 years after the first book. In a dramatic beginning, the well-respected Archangel Delilah is crippled in a storm, her consort killed, and Jovah names a most unlikely successor to replace her: a shy, studious angel named Alleluia (or, informally, Alleya). Like in the previous book, Alleya must find her predestined mate - but Jehovah does not know his name, identifying him only as "son of Jeremiah." Things are further complicated by Alleya's growing feelings for the inventor Caleb (who makes a bunch of steampunk-y stuff). But Caleb cannot be her destined mate... can he?
Meanwhile, Delila must deal with her feelings of resentment, and learn to live without flying. But of course, she'll find someone too - a man of the Edori (an ethnic group that resemble Jewish gypsies.)
Meanwhile - a big issue is going on. When the angels sing the songs that control the weather, often nothing happens. Climate change is leading to disaster.
I didn't like this one quite as much as the first in the series, mainly because I wasn't thrilled by the theme of industrialization going on in Samaria. Also, all the technological/sci-fi elements that were alluded to in the first book are made very clear in this story, and some of the mystery is lost. It won me over, after a while, though.
The Alleluia Files
A few hundred years have passed... The Archangel at this time, Bael, is cruel and harsh. He rules with a strong hand, and is secretly committing genocide against the Jacobites, claiming their heresies threaten the land. But - does he secretly know that their heretical stances regarding the god Jovah are true?
Far more than the other books, this one has a clear villain (Bael). However, the clear hero, the upstanding and just Jared, will make things right, if he can ever stop being too lazy to bother. He'll be helped out by the angel Lucinda, who has grown up on an isolated island, far from the politics of the angel's Aerie, and the strong-willed Tamar, a member of the heretic Jacobites.
Angelica
The Archangel Gaaron has his life mate picked out for him by Jovah. Never before has an Edori woman been picked to be Angelica - but although Susannah has the implant that allows Jovah to track the people of Samaria, unlike the Edori, she has been raised by the Edori and identifies with them. She's also only just broken up with her long term lover. (He was a big jerk though, so the reader is sure she will get over him.) She's not at all sure she wants to be Angelica. (Sound familiar? Yeah.) This one is set far before all the other books. Like in the other books, there's also a social problem to address while the romance is given time to develop: mysterious, disappearing invaders are attacking and burning the caravans of both Edori and Jansai, as well as isolated villages.
The day will be saved, and love will triumph.
Angel-Seeker
After finishing the previous book in the series, I was thinking: "Hey, are we ever going to get to see the point of view of one of the oppressed Jansai women? Pretty much all the other ethnic groups in Samaria have been covcered by POV characters." And, ta-da, here we are. Rebekah's charcter is very well done, actually. She's a rebellious girl in a repressive culture, but even after she falls in love with an angel, her ties to family and tradition hold her in a frighteningly realistic way. She also horribly underestimates her fate, if she's caught...
Meanwhile, the title character, Elizabeth, becomes an angel-seeker - a woman who desires more than anything, to bear an angel child, and will do pretty much anything to further that goal. Again, the motivations here were really well portrayed.
Both women grow as individuals over the course of the book - and, of course, find love.
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LibraryThing member crystalcarroll
Surreal Sci-fi. In the far future world of Samaria, the new Archangel Gabriel seeks to find and keep his angelica, Rachel, so they can lead members all theplanet's races at the yearly Gloria. If they don't, Jehovah will destroy theworld.
A two sentence description doesn't do justice to the complex
The world of Samaria is complex and real. What if Angels were physical beings that interceded with Jehovah for manna, medicine, and good weatherthat falls from the sky. What if peace was not enforced by civilization, butby the sure and certain knowledge that your god not only listens, but willsmite you if you don't all get along. What if god tended to play geneticmatch maker.
The characters are equally fascinating. Gabriel is vibrant and alive. A little arrogant, but entirely driven by love of his fellow living beings. Rachelis a bit of prickly pear, more useful than a wild rose.
Their romance is believable and well done. The central adventure of the story is compelling. There is a central conceit that plays out over thecourse of the story which makes the villain, well, a perfect Lucifer inevery way.
A truly engrossing book.
A two sentence description doesn't do justice to the complex
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world building in this story. But there is a secret at the heart of the tale that I'mreally avoiding giving away. But for those don't mind spoilers, this is ascience fiction novel, not fantasy.The world of Samaria is complex and real. What if Angels were physical beings that interceded with Jehovah for manna, medicine, and good weatherthat falls from the sky. What if peace was not enforced by civilization, butby the sure and certain knowledge that your god not only listens, but willsmite you if you don't all get along. What if god tended to play geneticmatch maker.
The characters are equally fascinating. Gabriel is vibrant and alive. A little arrogant, but entirely driven by love of his fellow living beings. Rachelis a bit of prickly pear, more useful than a wild rose.
Their romance is believable and well done. The central adventure of the story is compelling. There is a central conceit that plays out over thecourse of the story which makes the villain, well, a perfect Lucifer inevery way.
A truly engrossing book.
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LibraryThing member mmillet
Angel Gabriel has known for many years that he will be the next Archangel and that he must go to the oracle to discover who Jovah has chosen to be his Angelica or human bride. In Samaria, Archangels are a sort of divine chosen ruler over the land, changing every fifteen years. They lead Samaria in
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the Gloria (a sort of sung mass) each year, reminding the people of their dependence and love for Jovah. Gabriel has put off the task of finding his bride until he only has six months until his inaugural Gloria - so when he discovers his Angelica Rachel is a young woman from a family of peasant farmers he is shocked and more than a little surprised. Rachel herself has not led an easy life and is not too happy when Gabriel shows up declaring that he will be her husband. All her life her choices have been taken from her and she is not about to let Gabriel take them away from her again.Let me start off by saying what in the heck is going on with this cover? Is Rachel cringing? Singing? Sighing? None really match her personality so I can't really figure it out. Not to mention the odd little ball - is it supposed to be the Kiss which not only allows Jovah to track you but tells you when you've found your one and only? I thought that was supposed to be embedded in your skin? Weird. Too weird. Other than the oddness of the art, I really enjoyed this unusual story of religion mixed with politics set in a brand new world. And once again Shinn does not disappoint with her wonderfully crafted characters. A competely believable hero and heroine and some nasty villains who really are a little larger than life. The narrative switches back and forth between Rachel and Gabriel, which at times seemed a bit redundant since they would cover each situation twice, but overall served to really give a good understand of each's personality. Inventive and very readable, I can't wait to pick up the rest of this fabulous series. Show Less
LibraryThing member cattriona
I bought this book on Amazon because of the good reviews, but couldn't help feeling that this would turn out to be some religious work. I could not have been more wrong. Shinn's created a new and intriguing way to think of angels in a more human sense. In her world, they interact with the mortals,
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directly respond to requests for, say, rain to help the crops, and the only real religious reference is vague references to a higher being. This is non-denominational, and thought-provoking to think of angels as, well, people. Highly recommended. Show Less
LibraryThing member love2laf
Strong writing makes for an incredibly compelling story. Although there are religious themes, that's not what makes the story so good, it's about people and societies, and the choices we make. Sounds dry as dust the way I'm describing it, but it's not!
LibraryThing member sarahubasics
I re-read this book every year or so. Excellent romance.
LibraryThing member Unreachableshelf
Shinn introduces a detailed world with strong, appealing characters.
LibraryThing member crazybatcow
I read this book when it first came out in the late 90s and loved it then. I just reread it, a decade older, and liked the story just as much as I did the first time.
The big difference I see between my readings of it is that the romance - the core of this story - feels "forced"... like the author
I suspect this is standard outlining for the romance genre (normally I don't read romance), but I believe an author should be able to generate romantic interest without resorting to classic stereotypes.
But, really, the story is still nearly a 5 star one - very interesting and engaging subject, very well written, and very hard to put down once you start.
The big difference I see between my readings of it is that the romance - the core of this story - feels "forced"... like the author
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knew she had to put in a good romance, but rather than write realistic challenges or realistic feelings for the romance, she fell to stereotypes (angry, bitter, jaded woman and oblivious, stubborn man).I suspect this is standard outlining for the romance genre (normally I don't read romance), but I believe an author should be able to generate romantic interest without resorting to classic stereotypes.
But, really, the story is still nearly a 5 star one - very interesting and engaging subject, very well written, and very hard to put down once you start.
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LibraryThing member diana1963
This is an amazing book. I was asked to read this before publication as reviewer and I fell in love with Sharon's writing. The story is rich and clever. I literally sobbed through the last 45 pages because it was so well written. It and the others in the series sit on my bookshelf in pride of
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place. I re-read each one every year. I cannot get enough of this story line. I believe Sharon has a book of shorts coming out this year that will have another small installment based on this series. I cannot wait to read it. Her characters are full, rich and unforgettable. I cannot recommend this book and the rest in the series highly enough. Enjoy!!! Show Less
LibraryThing member peptastic
I'm not sure if I should categorise Archangel as fantasy or scifi. The sequels appear to be scifi but this one has no technology so I'm not sure where it fits.
The world is called Samaria which is separated into regions with an Angel lording of the hold. The current Archangel Raphael is corrupt and
The angel in line to be the next Archangel [a new one is appointed by the godlike figure Jovah every twenty years] Gabriel begins the novel searching for his Jovah appointed angelica [wife]. He had put it off for years and now only has six months to find her.
Rachel was adopted by the Edori [very gypsy like people] when she was a girl after her family were killed. She was enslaved five years previous.
Rachel comes off prickly to some of the characters but this girl values the freedom to be in charge of her life after being a slave. She hates Gabriel for taking her away after her masters daughter had just promised to free her.
The cultural of Samaria is very religious and everything centers around their god Jovah. Everything centers around the Angels. There are women in their society who follow Angels around hoping to have Angel children. When the children aren't angels they are abandoned on the street to fend for themselves.
The Edori worship Jovah in their own way and thus are set apart as different by the other classes. The Jansai people are the slave dwellers.
The world isn't actually moral at all. There are a lot of bad things happening to people by the current Archangel Raphael.
Rachel herself is a strong moral character who cares very deeply for the unprotected classes. I really liked her. She was opinionated and strong. I think that she was unsure of Gabriel's feelings was only natural given what happened to her.
There is an explanation in the book as to why so many horrors befell upon her.
Sharon Shinn delivered around perfect romance where the characters meet each other on their own terms and as equals. You must have freedom to really love one another. There isn't any creepy sex scenes where a guy pumps into a girl while declaring "Mine".
Sharon Shinn is awesome.
The world is called Samaria which is separated into regions with an Angel lording of the hold. The current Archangel Raphael is corrupt and
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has given too much power to the merchants and slave owners.The angel in line to be the next Archangel [a new one is appointed by the godlike figure Jovah every twenty years] Gabriel begins the novel searching for his Jovah appointed angelica [wife]. He had put it off for years and now only has six months to find her.
Rachel was adopted by the Edori [very gypsy like people] when she was a girl after her family were killed. She was enslaved five years previous.
Rachel comes off prickly to some of the characters but this girl values the freedom to be in charge of her life after being a slave. She hates Gabriel for taking her away after her masters daughter had just promised to free her.
The cultural of Samaria is very religious and everything centers around their god Jovah. Everything centers around the Angels. There are women in their society who follow Angels around hoping to have Angel children. When the children aren't angels they are abandoned on the street to fend for themselves.
The Edori worship Jovah in their own way and thus are set apart as different by the other classes. The Jansai people are the slave dwellers.
The world isn't actually moral at all. There are a lot of bad things happening to people by the current Archangel Raphael.
Rachel herself is a strong moral character who cares very deeply for the unprotected classes. I really liked her. She was opinionated and strong. I think that she was unsure of Gabriel's feelings was only natural given what happened to her.
There is an explanation in the book as to why so many horrors befell upon her.
Sharon Shinn delivered around perfect romance where the characters meet each other on their own terms and as equals. You must have freedom to really love one another. There isn't any creepy sex scenes where a guy pumps into a girl while declaring "Mine".
Sharon Shinn is awesome.
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LibraryThing member BooksWithoutBorders
I'm finding it difficult to decide how many stars to give this book. I remember reading Archangel in '97, when it was first released, and it becoming one of my favorites to reread. However, that was a long time ago, and I was in high school and things have changed a *little* bit since then!
I
Now, hundreds of books later, I feel as though I've read a completely different book! I don't hate it, or even dislike it, but the romance that I used to reread for seems to be old news to me! :-( However, as an older (and hopefully wiser!) reader, I think I enjoy Shinn's writing style much more. And the forays into the history and formation of religion? I wish there were more! (Which there are in the 2 sequels.)
Official opinion:
Younger readers or readers not as familiar to the fantasy/romance crossover genre should def. read Archangel.
More diverse readers might want to read Archangel as well, but more likely as a means to move onto Jovah's Angel and the Alleluia Files. The gem will be a combination of the 3 for you.
I
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remember loving the romance aspects of Archangel, aspects that I remember being somewhat disappointed with in the next two books of the trilogy. (Jovah's Angels and The Alleluia Files). And I remember loving the small trips into the philosophy of religion that Shinn included. Most of all, I think I was enamored with the cross of a fantasy and a romance, something that I must not have come across before Sharon Shinn.Now, hundreds of books later, I feel as though I've read a completely different book! I don't hate it, or even dislike it, but the romance that I used to reread for seems to be old news to me! :-( However, as an older (and hopefully wiser!) reader, I think I enjoy Shinn's writing style much more. And the forays into the history and formation of religion? I wish there were more! (Which there are in the 2 sequels.)
Official opinion:
Younger readers or readers not as familiar to the fantasy/romance crossover genre should def. read Archangel.
More diverse readers might want to read Archangel as well, but more likely as a means to move onto Jovah's Angel and the Alleluia Files. The gem will be a combination of the 3 for you.
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LibraryThing member janemarieprice
I love reading this over and over again. The characters have such depth and passion and the world building is fantastic. I like the pace of the story which blends action with psychological struggles.
LibraryThing member ramichelson
My favorite book in the series, Archangel is a nice, easy read. I was disappointed to read the other books, because the sequels made Archangel's "so what" completely meaningless. Taken alone, without its sequels, however, Archangel is a wonderful book.
LibraryThing member amf0001
Excellent! Can't give it enough praise. Really interesting world building and premise. Set in a vaguely familiar biblical world where Angels are real, flying beings, and not too angelic at that. Several books follow but this one has to be read first.
LibraryThing member Bonne
My favorite book. If I had to had a favorite, this would be it. Classic love story, mixed with angels and adventure.
LibraryThing member kmartin802
Gabriel, an angel, is in line to be the next archangel when he and his wife sing the Gloria at the upcoming annual celebration. The first problem is that, while Gabriel knows the name of his potential wife, he doesn't know where she is. He has only six weeks to find her before they have to sing
Rachel in a slave in Semorrah for five years. She was born a farm girl. When her farm was attacked, she was a small child whose body was sheltered by the dead body of her father. When the attackers finally left, Rachel ran until she was found by the Edori who adopted her and raised her. She found happiness and a young man to love. But then their encampment was attacked by Jansai raiders looking for slaves. Rachel was captured and sold and left wondering about the fate of the rest of her adopted family.
Gabriel is reluctant to give up his search for Rachel in order to attend a wedding in Semorrah but as the next archangel he needs to get along with the wealthy merchants. He is very surprised to find Rachel there. He takes her back to his mountain Eyrie to marry her and make sure that she's ready for their vocal performance.
Rachel isn't pleased with what she sees as Gabriel's high-handedness. She has been filled with rage at her situation for most of her life. She had just convinced a young woman to buy her as her servant and then free her when Gabriel swoops in and wrecks her life again. It doesn't help that Gabriel doesn't have time to spend with her to get to know her. He's busy trying to deal with the consequences of the current archangel's actions which have done nothing to keep that harmony that their god Jovah requires.
So, there is Rachel in the Eyrie where she is trapped since the only way to get to it is to be flown by an angel and she is deathly afraid of heights and suffers from vertigo while Gabriel is off meeting people. There is the jealous rival who has always wanted Gabriel and is doing her best to sabotage Rachel. And there are the music practice rooms where Rachel is introduced to recordings of the great angelic singers of the past. Rachel refuses to sing herself leaving major uncertainty about her ability to fulfill her role at the Gloria.
Then there is the villain of the piece in Archangel Raphael who has held his position for the previous twenty years and who doesn't want to yield power to Gabriel. But the more Gabriel looks into things, the more he sees what Raphael has neglected. Gabriel comes to believe that Raphael doesn't believe in Jovah and has convinced his supporters that Jovah is a myth. Raphael has encouraged greed and lawlessness and is ruining the harmony that Jovah requires.
This was a stunning story quite different than the book summary. It actually reads as a fantasy with some science fiction elements like screens to talk to Jovah used by the oracles and devices implanted in babies which let Jovah know about and keep track of the population. The current generations don't know about the history of their world or about the goals of the founders or the existence of a ship in space. There are winged angels and humans on the world. There is a god named Jovah who can be invoked by the singing prayers of the angels. Jovah can control the weather and sometimes sends down medicinal plants or necessary seeds. Jovah is their god.
I enjoyed this story which is the first of the Samaria series and look forward to rereading and listening to the rest.
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together. Rachel in a slave in Semorrah for five years. She was born a farm girl. When her farm was attacked, she was a small child whose body was sheltered by the dead body of her father. When the attackers finally left, Rachel ran until she was found by the Edori who adopted her and raised her. She found happiness and a young man to love. But then their encampment was attacked by Jansai raiders looking for slaves. Rachel was captured and sold and left wondering about the fate of the rest of her adopted family.
Gabriel is reluctant to give up his search for Rachel in order to attend a wedding in Semorrah but as the next archangel he needs to get along with the wealthy merchants. He is very surprised to find Rachel there. He takes her back to his mountain Eyrie to marry her and make sure that she's ready for their vocal performance.
Rachel isn't pleased with what she sees as Gabriel's high-handedness. She has been filled with rage at her situation for most of her life. She had just convinced a young woman to buy her as her servant and then free her when Gabriel swoops in and wrecks her life again. It doesn't help that Gabriel doesn't have time to spend with her to get to know her. He's busy trying to deal with the consequences of the current archangel's actions which have done nothing to keep that harmony that their god Jovah requires.
So, there is Rachel in the Eyrie where she is trapped since the only way to get to it is to be flown by an angel and she is deathly afraid of heights and suffers from vertigo while Gabriel is off meeting people. There is the jealous rival who has always wanted Gabriel and is doing her best to sabotage Rachel. And there are the music practice rooms where Rachel is introduced to recordings of the great angelic singers of the past. Rachel refuses to sing herself leaving major uncertainty about her ability to fulfill her role at the Gloria.
Then there is the villain of the piece in Archangel Raphael who has held his position for the previous twenty years and who doesn't want to yield power to Gabriel. But the more Gabriel looks into things, the more he sees what Raphael has neglected. Gabriel comes to believe that Raphael doesn't believe in Jovah and has convinced his supporters that Jovah is a myth. Raphael has encouraged greed and lawlessness and is ruining the harmony that Jovah requires.
This was a stunning story quite different than the book summary. It actually reads as a fantasy with some science fiction elements like screens to talk to Jovah used by the oracles and devices implanted in babies which let Jovah know about and keep track of the population. The current generations don't know about the history of their world or about the goals of the founders or the existence of a ship in space. There are winged angels and humans on the world. There is a god named Jovah who can be invoked by the singing prayers of the angels. Jovah can control the weather and sometimes sends down medicinal plants or necessary seeds. Jovah is their god.
I enjoyed this story which is the first of the Samaria series and look forward to rereading and listening to the rest.
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LibraryThing member FishHeaven
A fast, interesting and thought provoking read. A must have in anyone's library I think. I received this book from a friend for Christmas and read it in one day. It captivated me from the very beginning and had me wanting to hear more about Gabriel and Rachel at the end.
This book is set in a world
This book is set in a world
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that is divided in thirds. Has a premise based on harmony and leaves you asking many questions of yourself. It's not so much a book about God and the Bible as it poses questions to the reader in very subtle ways and merely uses names from the book itself. The story centers around Rachel, her lack of free will and leaves the reader wondering what decisions she will make once she does have the chance to use it. The backgrounds of the different races of people also captivated me. But mostly, I found myself enjoying the story of Rachel and Gabriel. The archangel-elect and his angelica. Show Less
LibraryThing member LisaMaria_C
I read one review that claimed the overall plot of this book is very reminiscent of Anne McCaffrey's Pern. That didn't occur to me when reading it, but the reviewer makes a good case. The woman at the center of this story, Rachel, is reminiscent of Lessa--only much bitchier. An angel named Gabriel
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carries her off to his eyrie to be his wife. There is some of the prickliness there you first see between Lessa and F'Lar. But ultimately I think this is very much its own book. Although one of the things I did love about it is again reminiscent of Pern. Ultimately for all the trappings about Angels complete with wings, this isn't fantasy--it's science fiction. And the way it twists both genres and explores its world completely absorbed me. Show Less
LibraryThing member kmartin802
Gabriel, an angel, is in line to be the next archangel when he and his wife sing the Gloria at the upcoming annual celebration. The first problem is that, while Gabriel knows the name of his potential wife, he doesn't know where she is. He has only six weeks to find her before they have to sing
Rachel in a slave in Semorrah for five years. She was born a farm girl. When her farm was attacked, she was a small child whose body was sheltered by the dead body of her father. When the attackers finally left, Rachel ran until she was found by the Edori who adopted her and raised her. She found happiness and a young man to love. But then their encampment was attacked by Jansai raiders looking for slaves. Rachel was captured and sold and left wondering about the fate of the rest of her adopted family.
Gabriel is reluctant to give up his search for Rachel in order to attend a wedding in Semorrah but as the next archangel he needs to get along with the wealthy merchants. He is very surprised to find Rachel there. He takes her back to his mountain Eyrie to marry her and make sure that she's ready for their vocal performance.
Rachel isn't pleased with what she sees as Gabriel's high-handedness. She has been filled with rage at her situation for most of her life. She had just convinced a young woman to buy her as her servant and then free her when Gabriel swoops in and wrecks her life again. It doesn't help that Gabriel doesn't have time to spend with her to get to know her. He's busy trying to deal with the consequences of the current archangel's actions which have done nothing to keep that harmony that their god Jovah requires.
So, there is Rachel in the Eyrie where she is trapped since the only way to get to it is to be flown by an angel and she is deathly afraid of heights and suffers from vertigo while Gabriel is off meeting people. There is the jealous rival who has always wanted Gabriel and is doing her best to sabotage Rachel. And there are the music practice rooms where Rachel is introduced to recordings of the great angelic singers of the past. Rachel refuses to sing herself leaving major uncertainty about her ability to fulfill her role at the Gloria.
Then there is the villain of the piece in Archangel Raphael who has held his position for the previous twenty years and who doesn't want to yield power to Gabriel. But the more Gabriel looks into things, the more he sees what Raphael has neglected. Gabriel comes to believe that Raphael doesn't believe in Jovah and has convinced his supporters that Jovah is a myth. Raphael has encouraged greed and lawlessness and is ruining the harmony that Jovah requires.
This was a stunning story quite different than the book summary. It actually reads as a fantasy with some science fiction elements like screens to talk to Jovah used by the oracles and devices implanted in babies which let Jovah know about and keep track of the population. The current generations don't know about the history of their world or about the goals of the founders or the existence of a ship in space. There are winged angels and humans on the world. There is a god named Jovah who can be invoked by the singing prayers of the angels. Jovah can control the weather and sometimes sends down medicinal plants or necessary seeds. Jovah is their god.
I enjoyed this story which is the first of the Samaria series and look forward to rereading and listening to the rest.
Show More
together. Rachel in a slave in Semorrah for five years. She was born a farm girl. When her farm was attacked, she was a small child whose body was sheltered by the dead body of her father. When the attackers finally left, Rachel ran until she was found by the Edori who adopted her and raised her. She found happiness and a young man to love. But then their encampment was attacked by Jansai raiders looking for slaves. Rachel was captured and sold and left wondering about the fate of the rest of her adopted family.
Gabriel is reluctant to give up his search for Rachel in order to attend a wedding in Semorrah but as the next archangel he needs to get along with the wealthy merchants. He is very surprised to find Rachel there. He takes her back to his mountain Eyrie to marry her and make sure that she's ready for their vocal performance.
Rachel isn't pleased with what she sees as Gabriel's high-handedness. She has been filled with rage at her situation for most of her life. She had just convinced a young woman to buy her as her servant and then free her when Gabriel swoops in and wrecks her life again. It doesn't help that Gabriel doesn't have time to spend with her to get to know her. He's busy trying to deal with the consequences of the current archangel's actions which have done nothing to keep that harmony that their god Jovah requires.
So, there is Rachel in the Eyrie where she is trapped since the only way to get to it is to be flown by an angel and she is deathly afraid of heights and suffers from vertigo while Gabriel is off meeting people. There is the jealous rival who has always wanted Gabriel and is doing her best to sabotage Rachel. And there are the music practice rooms where Rachel is introduced to recordings of the great angelic singers of the past. Rachel refuses to sing herself leaving major uncertainty about her ability to fulfill her role at the Gloria.
Then there is the villain of the piece in Archangel Raphael who has held his position for the previous twenty years and who doesn't want to yield power to Gabriel. But the more Gabriel looks into things, the more he sees what Raphael has neglected. Gabriel comes to believe that Raphael doesn't believe in Jovah and has convinced his supporters that Jovah is a myth. Raphael has encouraged greed and lawlessness and is ruining the harmony that Jovah requires.
This was a stunning story quite different than the book summary. It actually reads as a fantasy with some science fiction elements like screens to talk to Jovah used by the oracles and devices implanted in babies which let Jovah know about and keep track of the population. The current generations don't know about the history of their world or about the goals of the founders or the existence of a ship in space. There are winged angels and humans on the world. There is a god named Jovah who can be invoked by the singing prayers of the angels. Jovah can control the weather and sometimes sends down medicinal plants or necessary seeds. Jovah is their god.
I enjoyed this story which is the first of the Samaria series and look forward to rereading and listening to the rest.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Menshevixen
brb going to the library to get all the other books in this series.
LibraryThing member JenniferElizabeth2
I usually love Shinn's gentle love stories, but this had way more purpose than her usual tales. Her characters, as always, were great, but I didn't feel totally drawn into her world. I'll probably read the rest of the series because I'm intrigued by the premise.
LibraryThing member Isana
I am currently obsessed with angels and I saw this book mentioned in a few angel fantasy rec lists and I liked the summary so I decided the try it out. Now, I don't often read 400 page books in one day because I tend to get headaches and become weary very quickly as I read, but I COULD NOT put this
The plot was pretty great in a way that I could predict most of what happened as the story went along (that could just be me though) but yet I desperately wanted to read about how everything worked out when the characters realized. The romance was also sweet and I got quite invested in it but it never over-powered the story and that is a problem I have with a lot, a lot of books so I'm very happy I found an exception.
To be honest, I would probably give this a 4.5 because I really did get annoyed with the main characters a few times but it didn't detract too much from my enjoyment so I rounded up instead of down.
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book down. I got the headache all right but I just powered through. It just absorbed me and I was at page 150 before I knew what was going on. I just needed to know what came after. This was one of those books where you suddenly look up and it's like, "Oh. I'm in my room."The plot was pretty great in a way that I could predict most of what happened as the story went along (that could just be me though) but yet I desperately wanted to read about how everything worked out when the characters realized. The romance was also sweet and I got quite invested in it but it never over-powered the story and that is a problem I have with a lot, a lot of books so I'm very happy I found an exception.
To be honest, I would probably give this a 4.5 because I really did get annoyed with the main characters a few times but it didn't detract too much from my enjoyment so I rounded up instead of down.
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