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November 17, 2004
Angelica, by Sharon Shinn
I am fairly good at which book reviews to read for nuances of language that indicate whether the reviewer and I share similar tastes, have similar criticisms; and generally find what I expect from novels to hold true. I read Sharon Shinn’s book, The Allelluia Files, with a preconceived notion that the book was substandard to Shinn’s normally engaging characters, and therefore when I read it I was no terribly disappointed in its dearth of imagination and character depth; knowing that the next book in the series, Angelica, would made up for the deficits that I encountered.
Again, no surprises--Angelica is thus far Shinn’s best addition to the saga of Samaria, the distant and future world where genetically engineered angels rule over the variety of people that are forced to live in harmony else suffer the wrath of Jovah, an orbiting supercomputer and protector of the people. Angelica is more of a prequel, however, to the other novels, set some 200 years after the people arrive on Samaria. One of the faults of The Allelluia Files, some centuries in the future, could have been because of the fact that Shinn had made the decision to incorporate advancements of technology that detracted from the tone of the earlier books. Angelica does not have the distraction of the technological understanding of the people who inhabit Samaria, which makes for an interesting challenge when confronted with strange, dark-skinned and dark-clad invaders from another world.
Shinn also is careful to remain close to the angel-and-angelica romance, although the realization of that romance does not occur until the last several pages, a carry-through of her prior three novels. Gaaron is a likeable and understandable Archangel-to-be, and Susannah his staid and pensive Edori angelica-fiancé. The forays into the mind of Miriam, Gaaron’s non-angel sister, are short, and few, and as the character of Miriam is included so frequently among the chapters involving Gaaron and Susannah, I did not feel at a loss when Miriam receives the point of view, mid-Novel.
Shinn relies on the same literal Deus ex machine mechanics as in the earlier novels, but to a lesser extent, empowering the characters to do more to overcome their obstacles. Susannah’s “dream sequence,” toward the end of the book could have been explored more, as I am distracted by the implausibility of an otherwise bright woman being so easily convinced that those book changing events were nothing but a dream. I didn’t get a decent sense that Susannah felt she was dreaming.
Otherwise, Angelica is highly imaginative and another book so engaging that I had difficulty putting it down until the last page. It will delight readers of fantasy and romance alike.
Purchase the book, or find out more about it here: Angelica, by Sharon Shinn
Posted by Bastique at November 17, 2004 10:26 AM