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| Archangel |
| by Sharon Shinn |
| Welcome to Samaria. This is a world where technology has been almost abandoned and men have divided into caste-like clans. This is a world where angels are appointed by God to be political and religious leaders over men. The highest rank for an angel to achieve is Archangel, and his duty, among others, is to lead Samaria in the annual singing of the Gloria--a festival/concert held to assure the God, Jovah, that his creations are still faithful. Gabriel is about to step into that position. But an Archangel needs an angelica, so Gabriel asks Jovah who it is that is meant to spend her life by his side. Jovah chooses Rachel. She is a strange choice: a slave girl who was raised by the Edori: a race of gypsy-like travelers who see no need in the current social structure, no need for angelic intervention between themselves and God, and no need for Archangels. Among Edori, Rachel is stranger still; she has reason to hate and fear angels. Gabriel does Jovah's bidding and finds this unwilling woman, convincing her to marry him as God has commanded and urging her to sing the Gloria with him. If she refuses to sing, Jovah will destroy Samaria with thuderbolts. If she agrees, she goes against everything she believes in. Rachel and Gabriel are a stubborn mismatch and aren't prepared for the challenges put before them: clan wars threaten to engulf Samaria, and the current archangel, Raphel, is bitterly intent on disproving the existence of Jovah. They also don't anticipate the complicated feelings that arise between them. Archangel is half provacative political intrigue and half mesmerizing love story. The characters are carefully built with realistic flaws and expectations, and Shinn lets them flow realistically from moment to moment as she weaves an intricate plot around them. Samaria itself is an amazing accomplishment--it is at the same time fantastical and rooted deeply in the plausible. I've never read a more believable fantasy. Archangel served as a solid base for Shinn, who has since written three more books of Samaria (Jovah's Angel, The Alleluia Files, and Angelica). It won the William Crawford award for achivement in fantasy, and Shinn was nominated for the John. W. Campbell award for Best New Writer. Her writing style is clean and uncomplicated, yet beautifully descriptive and vivid. I would recommend Archangel to anyone, even those who don't usually read science fiction or fantasy. Its dignified grace will appeal to all. |
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| Archangel was originally published in May of 1996 by Ace Science Fiction in a trade paperback format. The next year it was released in Mass Market size by the same company: ISBN 0441004326. Sharon Shinn has also written: The Shape-changer's Wife Jovah's Angel The Alleluia Files Wrapt in Crystal Heart of Gold Summers at Castle Auburn Jenna Starborn Angelica |
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