Customer Reviews

Jovah's Angel

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Having read (and loved) Shinn's first book about the planet Samaria, I was thrilled to find a sequel. Back to a world where angels fly and their song fills the skies, many years after the exciting and romantic events of Archangel. In Jovah's Angel, the weather patterns on meteorologically-unstable Samaria are deteriorating, and the only voice that seems to be hearable by Jovah, the overseeing "deity" of the planet, is that of shy, scholarly Alleluia, now forced by circumstance to play the role of Archangel, taking the place of a brilliant, injured predecessor. And political brilliance is sorely needed on Samaria, as the different factions jockey for top position, as technological advances are made (and resisted), and the weather worsens (and worsens), as knowledge is lost (and regained). Shinn is, as always, excellent in her society-building---she postulates a set of circumstances and characters and then rings the changes, inviting us along to see what happens...and it's a wonderful trip, really an engaging and wonderful book. Not dissimilar to Anne McCaffrey's Pern books, in its basic premise, but rather stronger in its depiction of a social-religious- political cultural matrix. And her depictions of the glories of human song are amazing and original. Very well done!

I saw the paperback edition of "Jovah's Angel" at my local bookstore and snapped it up. I really enjoyed "Archangel" and was hoping for a similar experience with this book. As with most sequels, I was ultimately disappointed. I enjoyed the return to Samaria, but I thought the plot and characters could have been much stronger. Delilah and Alleya were caricatures instead of characters: the stormy dark angel and the quiet blond. Caleb was drawn a bit better, but Noah was also a cardboard cutout of a character. I will give Ms. Shinn credit for finally resolving the mystery of what Jovah really is.

At first I found the jump of 150 years from the time of Archangel difficult to adjust to. Once into the book I did enjoy the return to Samaria & learning of the changes that had occurred. While I did find this book good-I can't help but wish for a return to the lives of Rachael & Gabriel. Perhaps Ms. Shinn will decide to take us back in an upcoming novel & allow us once again to share in the lives of the characters' lives we became a part of in Archangel. I'm looking forward to reading The Alleluia Files. Ms. Shinn has a great talent with words!

Sharon Shinn continues the story of angels and humans on the planet Samaria. This time around, Shinn moves more towards the Sci-fi genre, but still keeping with romantic themes, although this time, the romanctic stuggle is more predictable than in Archangel. Shinn's storytelling is still exquisite and her characters realistic and human. Shinn's work still rings true with the beauty and emotion of her angels' voices.

After reading Archangel I found Jovah's Angel somwhat of a letdown. It still had a wonderful plot and well developed characters, however, these charcters were not nearly as strong. Both Caleb and ALleya were much harder to feel for. Neither were as deep as the others in the Archangel.

I enjoyed Archangel, but could not ignore several weaknesses in the plot. I found this tale far more convincing, and all its pieces fit well together. Additionally, I found the protagonist, Allelujah, a far more sympathetic character than any others so far. She is quiet and scholarly, thrust into the limelight against her will, and doing her very best to do what needs to be done. She is an admirable character.

I am enjoying the Samaria series, though nearly against my will. The "science fiction" lacks science, and I usually don't read romance... However, wings make some difference, and Shinn is truly a very good writer.

I love all of these books. I love how she blends Jehovah God into science fiction, it is exciting.

After falling in love with Summers At Castle Auburn, I finally got my hands on the first and second books of the Samaria series and I'm completely in love with this series as well. I couldn't put either the first book, Archangel, or this one, down.

Simply following this series to see where the other goes. Slow moving and boring but interesting enough to read the next.

Jovah's Angel is the "sequel" to Archangel, with a believable evolution of Samarian society after 150 years. The citizens are more industrialized now, but nowhere near the technology level of their ancestors, whose knowledge has been lost throughout the centuries since Samaria's founding. The characters of Caleb the scientist, Alleya the reluctant Archangel replacement, and Delilah, the fallen and broken former Archangel, are all fully developed, and their stories are rich and compelling. Another great read from Sharon Shinn. Too bad she can't write them as fast as I can read them.