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Archangel (Samaria Published Order #1)

by Sharon Shinn

4.05 · Rating Details · 8,355 Ratings · 659 Reviews

And so it came to pass...

Through science, faith and force of will, the Harmonics carved out for themselves a society that they conceived of as perfect. Diverse peoples held together by respect for each other and the prospect of swift punishment if they disobeyed their laws. Fertile land that embraced a variety of climates and seasons. Angels to guard the mortals and mysti ...more

Mass Market Paperback, 400 pages

Published April 1st 1997 by Ace (first published May 1st 1996)

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Jul 29, 2008 Shannon (Giraffe Days) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy, 2007

There are five books out in this series, though each can be read as stand-alone novels. I think this is the first one (I wanted to start at the beginning, if I could), and very intriguing and well-written it is. I read it in a day. I'm a new fan of Shinn!

Archangel is set on another world, on a land called Samaria which is divided up into three realms: Gaza, Bethel and Jordanna. They aren't the only place names that sound familiar, there's also Mount Sinai, the Plain of Sharon and the Galilee Ri There are five books out in this series, though each can be read as stand-alone novels. I think this is the first one (I wanted to start at the beginning, if I could), and very intriguing and well-written it is. I read it in a day. I'm a new fan of Shinn!

Archangel is set on another world, on a land called Samaria which is divided up into three realms: Gaza, Bethel and Jordanna. They aren't the only place names that sound familiar, there's also Mount Sinai, the Plain of Sharon and the Galilee River, all reminiscent in sound and appearance to that troublesome spot in the Middle East. Here, though, there is harmony between the lands. After all, it is their god's main precept: harmony in all things. God, or Jovah's, representatives on earth are the Angels, beautiful men and women with massive wings who sing the prayers to a god that actually heeds them. Their faith is unswerving.

There are many interesting and unique elements to this richly idealised land. Each baby dedicated to the god receives the Kiss, implanted into their arm, through which Jovah knows you are alive and takes you when you die. It also reacts when you meet the person meant for you.

The leader of the Host at the Eyrie, Gabriel, is preparing to become the new Archangel at the Gloria - a mass sung on the Plain of Sharon - but must first find the woman whom Jovah has selected as his wife. He is reluctant, and put it off until he had only six months left. When he is unable to find Rachel, he searches fruitlessly, only to find her in the most unexpected of places: as a shackled slave working in the home of Lord Jethro, where Gabriel is staying for Jethro's son's wedding.

Rachel has not been tamed by her five long years as a slave. Orphaned at seven when her farming village is destroyed, she was adopted by an Edori clan, a race of nomads who believe differently from everyone else, and so are not considered human. The one thing she wants is to be free to make her own choices, and becoming wife and angelica to the next Archangel does not sit well with her. The discord between Rachel and Gabriel becomes worse due to their problems communicating with each other, while the present Archangel, Raphael, lets it be known that he has no intention of stepping down, and will go to drastic lengths to prove that Jovah does not even exist.

I've never been fond of overtly religious themes in fiction, and I would usually avoid a book that focuses too much on religion. Yet there is nothing lecturing or moralistic about this story. It is entirely believable, and there are hints throughout about how these people came to be on Samaria that a reader can guess at, making Jovah's response to the prayers of the Angels all the more fascinating. Gabriel is a strangely lovable character - strange, because he is a difficult man - while Rachel is so stubborn as to infuriate at times. But the very fact that they can provoke such strong reactions in me is testament to the success and skill of Shinn's writing. Shinn does not dawdle, wallow or pander. Her touch is light and effortless, simply drawing you along in the wake of Rachel and Gabriel, watching and caring and intrigued. It is also interesting to read against a background of discord and disharmony, of prejudice and enslavement and terror. This book is a rich tapestry of issues woven through a bittersweet love story. I only wish Gabriel and Rachel had resolved their differences earlier; I do love to spend time with literary couples who respond in less antagonistic ways to each other.

...more

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Oct 05, 2008 SheWunders rated it really liked it

Recommended to SheWunders by: Shannon

Shelves: fantasy, 2008-10

Fabulous book! Very creative and different. The characters were compelling and deep (but sometimes annoying). Great world building. I can’t wait to continue on with this series. I couldn’t put it down.

Note - Archangel is not a Romance novel. This is a Fantasy novel with romantic elements, but do not expect your traditional Romance themes & behaviors – you will most likely be disappointed.

Another Note – I’ve heard some complaints about the religious elements in the book. That said the religio ...more

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Dec 05, 2010 Mariel rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: freedom and its owner

Recommended to Mariel by: love is no big truth

Sharon Shinn carries the torch of Joss Whedon for fantasy and science fiction. Oops not everyone is a fan, Mariel. Cliff's notes version: the world is great but what hits close to home has everything to do with the emotional joys and horrors. What resonates and vibrates like an internal chord being struck is the this is what I can feel too stuff because it's the things we're all in it together for. Shinn is kindred spirit to Peter S. Beagle. Her stories make me feel that she could be related to Sharon Shinn carries the torch of Joss Whedon for fantasy and science fiction. Oops not everyone is a fan, Mariel. Cliff's notes version: the world is great but what hits close to home has everything to do with the emotional joys and horrors. What resonates and vibrates like an internal chord being struck is the this is what I can feel too stuff because it's the things we're all in it together for. Shinn is kindred spirit to Peter S. Beagle. Her stories make me feel that she could be related to me. What I most hold dear, she must too because she doesn't miss the point of what I believe to be the point of anything. Forget the believable world building, great writing and characters, etc. The things that you would take for granted in a movie because you are supposed to take them for granted. Shinn's books are like that for me. Big picture. I like all the other stuff but that's not what I'm going to remember down my miles. I wasn't in a story after all. I was reading the heart of heart example of something that mattered a great deal to Sharon Shinn.

I didn't know if I was really going to like this. A science fiction world that resembles an alternate reality that could be the future or past. That it resembles ever troubled areas in the middle east has to be intentional. The religion is not religion at all but politics. The angels in charge are corrupt. Their power is in their singing. The power to control the weather, stop or create disasters, and thereby control the little peoples under them. Of course there has to be someone even tinier under their boots, as well. The Edori tribes were massacred or enslaved. They resemble Jews. No, it's not "ooh how topical" at all. In plot description print it might sound that way. In Shinn's hands it really isn't. Rachel, the heroine, is one of these Edori slavewomen. (A common theme in Shinn's works is enslavement.)

The spiritual or religious beliefs is music. I simply don't wrestle with religion at all. I can torment myself to bits with everything else under the invisible sun. Somehow it is never belief in a higher power. I've got issues about being forced into religion. Okay, my issues are political. Spiritually? No. I get the music stuff. Shinn wrote about this in a way that wasn't cheesey. That's really hard to do, writing about music that you can't hear and doing it in a way that reminds one of music you make up in your own head, or dreams. Rachel has a heavenly (even I'm rolling my eyes at me) singing voice. She's soul mate to the most likely candidate for the new Archangel, Gabriel, apparently. This is the part that sounds like your typical supernatural tinged romance story. Believe me, it really isn't. AT ALL.
Rachel was impregnated with this device in her arm that other Edori's do not have (she was found by them as a baby). The lucky pricks all have these. When they meet the person that their Jehovah ordains them to be with, the very sci-fi ball lights up. Gabriel is a snobby angel. He's not keen on marrying a slave. He takes Rachel away and expects her to be some little puppet for him as long as they need her to perform the ceremony. Is it really ordained? Does anybody really have a soulmate? It's just listening to people and trying not to hurt people if you can avoid it. Possessiveness? Is it awful to love what is not yours? I agree with Shinn that it is awful to try and contain it. I loved this love story that was loving without the creepy clinging that suffocates what is natural. The spirituality was just listening.

Gabriel does eventually fall for Rachel. But Rachel is still in love with her Edori man. She's pissed about what has been done to her. She's been enslaved enough already. Why do it with this angel, even if he is a fantastic singer? I didn't expect that. I expected her to roll over.

Archangel knocked me over with an (angel's) feather when I was done. I did not expect to read a book with a love story in it that believed in what I believe in. No, I don't get caught up in fears of being tied down. You allow yourself to be tied down if that happens. Fear what you'll do to yourself if you're going to be afraid. The beauty of Archangel is that Rachel's futuristic or prehistoric blood cries out for freedom of being understood. The listening is like the listening of the angel's music. Gabriel actually wasn't enough of an asshole to deliberately deafen his ears to her, after all. That was really cool. There was no sweeping off one's feet into perma happy la la land. I'd say that Shinn earned her ending all right.

...more

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Dec 24, 2016 Lizzy rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy-dystopian, stars-4

I found Sharon Shinn's Archangel an awesome fantasy and an amazing entertainment reading. Through highly creative and unusual premises, provocative characters and actions that are always surprising the reader, Shinn was able to create a beautiful story. A tale about love, music, magic, power and honor and has done it so well that I found myself escaping into her world, living it through her protagonists, so strong in their imperfections and conflicting desires.

Archangel is set in Samaria, divi I found Sharon Shinn's Archangel an awesome fantasy and an amazing entertainment reading. Through highly creative and unusual premises, provocative characters and actions that are always surprising the reader, Shinn was able to create a beautiful story. A tale about love, music, magic, power and honor and has done it so well that I found myself escaping into her world, living it through her protagonists, so strong in their imperfections and conflicting desires.

Archangel is set in Samaria, divided into three domains Gaza, Bethel and Jordanna lead by angels. Aren’t these names familiar? So, we also read about the Galilee River, Mount Sinai, and Bethel. Could it be a metaphorical creation reminding us of our own world? But in Samaria there is harmony, or it is supposed to strive for it: harmony in all thigs is what their god Jehovah teaches should always exist between all land and people. Diverse societies held together by the prospect of swift punishment. But instead what we read about is a world that is immersed in discord and disharmony, where prejudice and enslavement thrive.

Angels as Jehovah’s representatives on Samaria communicate with Him through music. Without their own shortcomings, angels are almost glorious beings with massive wings, who sing beautifully the prayers of Jehovah.

'Are you asking me if there is a God?' he said, still in that soft voice. 'All I can say is, I believe there is. I feel him when I sing'.

Gabriel is the leader of Eyrie, preparing to become the new Archangel or leader of all angels and Samaria. Rachel is his Jehovah’s chosen bride. Together they must sing at the Gloria, a mass sung in harmony yearly by angels together with representatives of all people.

Gabriel is a difficult man but I also found him amazingly lovable character, fully committed to leading his people into correcting all that is wrong; while Rachel has gone through serious hardships in her life and exasperates the reader in her stubbornness. But the very fact that both can provoke such strong reactions is proof of the success and skill of Shinn's writing. Their brash love affair is difficult but honest.

Shinn’s talent is able to deliver a story that is not religious or moralistic despite its alluring themes. The spiritual, if you want religious, beliefs are wholly experienced through music, and in that it is beautiful for even if you should not be able to hear it, I could occasionally feel it like maybe as a dream. Samaria comes through entirely convincing, even if in a fantastical way, as it is utmost human.
...more

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Dec 01, 2012 Keertana rated it really liked it

Shelves: kick-ass-heroines

Rating: 4.5 Stars

I'm at a loss for words when it comes to Sharon Shinn's Archangel. Utterly torn in fact. I was so sure this novel would earn a hearty 5 Stars from me and make its way to my 'favorites' shelf, but alas, I couldn't bring myself to fall in love with this as I thought I would.

I suppose I'll start at the beginning. I woke up early today morning with plenty of time left before I really needed to be out of bed. Thus, I perused my Kindle library and stumbled upon this. I thought I'd r ...more

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Dec 20, 2010 Lightreads rated it liked it

Shelves: fiction, romance, young-adult

Oh, you know, it’s your typical book about another planet where an angel rescues a woman from slavery and forces her to marry him because his god/an AI told him to. Oh, and he wears leather. The angel, not the AI.

This is actually not as batshit as I’m making it sound, though it’s still decidedly . . . Pernlike. Id vortex or bust, if you know what I mean, and it was mostly a bust for me. I don’t have an arranged marriage kink or an angel kink or any of the other seventeen kinks this book was hurl ...more

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Apr 09, 2009 Felicia rated it it was amazing

Shelves: vaginal-fantasy, fantasy

LOVE this series so much. Predates a lot of the fantasy/romance out there that's so popular now. Angels in an alternate universe. Weird to explain but really really good!

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Aug 27, 2016 Summer Ann rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy, paranormal, science-fiction-double-feature, romantic-fantasy, demons-angels, hero-is-a-jerk, heroine-is-annoying, sci-fi-romance

In the world of Samaria, there are angels and people. The angels being very powerful, with the the Archangel as the most powerful of them. The current Archangel will soon step down from his position and be taken over by the angel Gabriel. Gabriel has known from a young age that he is to become an Archangel but waits until 5 months before he is to take the position to find his angelica. An angelica is a human woman paired with a male angel. Angels can only be produced from a pairing of an angel a In the world of Samaria, there are angels and people. The angels being very powerful, with the the Archangel as the most powerful of them. The current Archangel will soon step down from his position and be taken over by the angel Gabriel. Gabriel has known from a young age that he is to become an Archangel but waits until 5 months before he is to take the position to find his angelica. An angelica is a human woman paired with a male angel. Angels can only be produced from a pairing of an angel and a mortal, with angels forbidden to pair with each other. Gabriel will become Archangel during the Gloria. The Gloria being an enormous gathering of the people of Samaria where they sing praises to their god, Jehovah. Gabriel has known for a while that the Gloria is approaching and that he is required to have his angelica sing with him. So when he learns from the oracle that his bride to be is a lowly slave woman who may not be trained in singing, he doesn't take it very well. Rachel, his intended bride, was not raised as a slave but her village was destroyed when she was a child and was adopted by a nomadic group of people. This nomadic group is constantly attacked with the survivors usually taken as slaves. Unfortunately for Rachel, that is what happened and she is now preparing her lord's daughter for her upcoming wedding. Gabriel has been searching everywhere for Rachel, unaware that he is to attend the upcoming wedding for the daughter of Rachel's owner. When they meet Gabriel demands that Rachel go with him to his home and become his bride. Rachel is finally feeling some small amount at hope when she learned earlier that the lord's daughter intends to take her and set her free. To Rachel, Gabriel's world seems like just another kind of prison and does everything in her power to make the upcoming Archangel's life as uncomfortable as possible.

I got totally sucked into this book. I probably made it sound odd and boring but it's the best I could do on 4 hours of sleep. It sounds like a very strange book at first, and it really is when you start reading it. But as you get further along you realize that the author isn't doing any kind of preaching and can just take the religious references as influence. As someone who is nonreligious I was really worried about that and was glad find that the author wasn't trying to convey any messages or anything like that. I thought the book was a great blend of fantasy with some romance. However I did have a few gripes about it. I didn't really like how the ending was handled, as Rachel's attitude made me want to shake her. I also wanted more scenes with Rachel and Gabriel together. But in general I did like the book and would recommend it if you can get over the annoying heroine. ...more

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Aug 03, 2011 Cheri rated it liked it

The world building was interesting, the story drew me in and even when I wanted to give up, I held on hoping that things would get better. This story gets a three star rating because of the details and music description but that's about it.

The story started off with Gabriel and Rachel being irritating. But as the story went on, I began to sympathize and feel so sorry for Gabriel. Rachel was a really immature shrew. Not once did she stop to consider Gabriel's point of view. I get that she had her ...more

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Sep 24, 2013 Jon added it

Recommended to Jon by: Beyond Reality Feb 2012 Selection

Shelves: fantasy, fiction, read-in-my-40s, loved-it

4 stars

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Oct 13, 2010 Jess Haines rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: Light paranormal romance fans

Shelves: paranormal-romance, science-fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I will preface this review by stating that this is one of my “comfort” reads, an old favorite that I often pull out to reread again and again. There are other books in the Samaria series (ANGELICA, ANGEL-SEEKER, JOVAH’S ANGEL, THE ALLELUIA FILES) that I am aware of, but I have not read them all, and I am fairly certain they can all stand alone. ARCHANGEL was the first book of Ms. Shinn’s that I read, and it has remained dear to me over the years. Despite anything else I may say, it is a favorite ...more

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Aug 03, 2010 Anoolka rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy, sci-fi, religion, series, angels-or-nephilim

About 60 pages in the book drew me in and it was a very fast and pleasant read. Good writing style. There were moments where I was slightly annoyed with Rachel for being stubborn for stubborness sake. She admited often that she did thinks purely to be contrary and after awhile that gets tiresome. Over all I did like her. The plot was interesting, the other characters as well and the setting has a lot of promise in this weird religious/sci-fi way.

I didn't terribly like that the Edori were univer ...more

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May 31, 2008 Holly rated it it was amazing

Shelves: my-personal-favorites, sci-fi-or-alt-reality

One of my new favorite authors. She does a nice fantasy/romance thing, but this series also has interesting theology. And her characters are distinct and likeable.

But the best part is the worldbuilding. I really feel like she knows the geography of her worlds inside and out, like it's a living breathing place that really could exist somewhere out there.

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Sep 16, 2007 Inara rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: fantasy and angel lovers

Shelves: novels-sf-fantasy, novels-romance-fantasy

Angel Gabriel, being next in the line to become Archangel and lead the annual Gloria to assure God everything is in harmony has a problem. He needs to find his chosen bride by God – the Angelica – within six months to assist him with the Gloria or desaster will strike. He isnt happy about Rachel being a farmers daughter und probably untutored to lead the Gloria with him. But Gods will has to be obeyed. When Gabriel arrives at the village where Rachel is supposed to live he finds everything is de ...more

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Jun 27, 2015 Katie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: format-ebook, how-library, books-read-in-2015, books-read-in-2015-new

I've been meaning to read this one forevvvvver. I think I'm bumping the rating up a little, but ohhh. I really loved the characters and the world. And I really liked how it addresses issues of belief and faith. I am so excited to read more.

Mostly I guess it's just two things holding me back:

1. The romantic relationship didn't quite work for me until the VERY end. I needed them to spend more time together to really believe in their love. But because I WAS on board at the end, I think I'd like it ...more

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May 11, 2015 Shauna rated it really liked it

Shelves: neamh-ifreann, sci-fi, kickass-heroines, fantasy

"The angelica," he said, through tight lips, "holds the position of highest honor on Samaria. She sings beside the Archangel at the Gloria. She hears petitions that men and women fear to put before the Archangel himself. She can, if she chooses, be a great force for good among mortals, among angels. Many angelicas have had special relationships with Jovah, asking from him boons and favors which have been divinely granted. The angelica is one step from the god."

"The angelica, you said," she resp ...more

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Aug 01, 2012 Jennifer rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy, romance

There are interesting ideas in this book, and interesting discussions of good versus evil, the nature of God, and faith. (Surprisingly, for a book with obvious religious overtones, the novel didn't put me off as many other "romances" oriented toward women based on the Bible do, such as The Red Tent, which I hated, by the way). The characterization is actually rather good, but in the end, I felt like Shinn copped out, or at the very least couldn't find a way to give closure to her novel. In my op There are interesting ideas in this book, and interesting discussions of good versus evil, the nature of God, and faith. (Surprisingly, for a book with obvious religious overtones, the novel didn't put me off as many other "romances" oriented toward women based on the Bible do, such as The Red Tent, which I hated, by the way). The characterization is actually rather good, but in the end, I felt like Shinn copped out, or at the very least couldn't find a way to give closure to her novel. In my opinion, maybe there shouldn't have been much closure.

As examples:
1) A main conflict in the novel is that people have stopped believing in the existence of Jovah, and this throws the ones who still believe into doubt. However, the answer to this doubt comes in the resounding smite of the unbelievers, rather than no response, or a less obvious one, from the same omnipotent deity that has let a power-crazy, mad, hedonistic man rule for twenty years. If Shinn meant to examine faith, and the fact that terrible things happen to people, as they did to the characters in her novel, but that Jovah works in mysterious ways and faith must still be maintained in hardship, she failed. Shinn nullifies the internal and external theological dialogue in the novel with this outcome.

2) Two angels who are in love get to live happily every after despite the fact that angels are traditionally not supposed to breed, and the main character and her extremely good-looking, paramount singer husband can be assumed to live happily ever after as well after a steamy long-awaited consummation of their marriage that is implied at the end of the novel. I understand that this is a fantasy novel probably oriented toward women who also want to read a romance, so I expected the ridiculously attractive, singing angels (seemingly opposite, but with a similar appeal to many as vampires probably) and hook-ups. I did like the fact that there was never any real "romance" between the two main characters, and mostly fighting and misunderstanding. However, I found it irksome that the tracker devices on both couples wrists glowed as a signal, supposedly from Jovah, that they had found true love, because one of the more interesting points was the theory that the glowing from the "Kisses," as they were called, was Jovah's sign that he wanted two to breed to produce rare angel offspring so that his ambassadors and caretakers for the world would not die out. This provided a different view of Jovah as more expedient in his logic, insofar as concern for the society as a whole outweighed his concern for the emotions and happiness of a couple. This idea was developed in the novel with stories of previous angel/mortal liaisons spurred by the "true love" signal of glowing kisses that did, in fact, result in angelic offspring for the sacrifice of one or both partners' happiness.

Shinn loses the credibility that she gained for herself in exploring complex ideas by first bringing up tough and interesting topics, such as those above, and then providing happy plot resolutions that run contrary to the complexity of the issues.

Despite this, I still feel that the novel was well-written, contained good characterization, and raised interesting ideas. ...more

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Dec 08, 2013 Jo ★The Book Sloth★ rated it liked it

Shelves: angels, adult, fantasy, paranormal

In the land of Samaria angels are the ruling class. They have the ear of the god and his favour. They can make rain fall, sun come out, medicine fall from the sky. Angels are led by the Archangel, an angel either male or female who is picked every 20 years by the Jovah(their God). The Archangel is a type of spiritual and political leader for the masses. He(or she) is the one people turn to solve their problems, he has the God listening to his every prayer. At this years Gloria(some kind of relig In the land of Samaria angels are the ruling class. They have the ear of the god and his favour. They can make rain fall, sun come out, medicine fall from the sky. Angels are led by the Archangel, an angel either male or female who is picked every 20 years by the Jovah(their God). The Archangel is a type of spiritual and political leader for the masses. He(or she) is the one people turn to solve their problems, he has the God listening to his every prayer. At this years Gloria(some kind of religious festival) the leadership will pass from Raphael to Gabriel. Gabriel's chosen wife is a slave girl, the lowest class in Samaria. Raphael power-mad and corrupted to the core will do anything in his power to keep his position.

This book was both better and worse than I thought it'd be.

It started out awesome. Until about 40% of the book I was ecstatic. There were interesting characters and fascinating world building. It seemed like nothing could spoil it for me and then...The heroine turned from stubborn to obnoxious, the story got too long, the romance stayed stale.

I wanted to love the book. I had loved the novella and I thought this one would be just as awesome but I couldn't get into the story or root for the heroes because there was no romance to be seen. When they decided they loved each other it was without knowing anything about one another. They fought the six out of the five times they talked and they didn't have much of an opinion for each other. It was disappointing to say the least.

The timeline of the story is undefined in the book. It could be 4.000 years ago or 4.000 later but it doesn't clear this one out. Still since the story seems to refer to a different dimension it doesn't really matter.

I did like Gabriel. He was moral and genuine. He didn't play political games or succumb to the feudal system that his predecessor had supported so much. I wish I could tell I liked Rachel as much. At first she was interesting. She protested being forced into rings, fought to make her own decisions but the truth is that in the end she was just annoying. She knew she loved him but still she fought him, she still thought of seducing other men, she still walked away and left them all miserable.

I liked the story as a whole though. I usually don't like the spiritual stuff but this book made it easy for me to read it without exasperating me. The fact that they believed in their God was completely acceptable to me since they had so much proof of his existence.

I would say that it was somewhere about 3.5 for me. ...more

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Jul 07, 2010 Hugo rated it it was ok

Shelves: fantasy

I bought this book on a whim after reading about it on a blog I didn't know that it was mainly a romance novel, it caught my interest because the twist on the fantasy setting seemed intriguing.

As a romance novel it more or less follows Formula 1A (not that I'm a big fan of the genre, but I've read enough to recognize the clichés). Head-strong and willful, yet amazingly beautiful and talented servant girl meets proud and brooding noble lord, and there is some sort of connection. Initially they ha I bought this book on a whim after reading about it on a blog I didn't know that it was mainly a romance novel, it caught my interest because the twist on the fantasy setting seemed intriguing.

As a romance novel it more or less follows Formula 1A (not that I'm a big fan of the genre, but I've read enough to recognize the clichés). Head-strong and willful, yet amazingly beautiful and talented servant girl meets proud and brooding noble lord, and there is some sort of connection. Initially they hate each other, and through a series of misunderstandings they fall apart before in the end finally coming together and realizing that they love each other (mainly, the male noble needs to swallow his pride and beg and plead a bit before the stubborn girl relents, but only because he really has a good heart).

What's more interesting is the setting; the girl is an orphaned slave girl from a nomadic tribe while the guy is an angel lord named Gabriel, soon to become Archangel of the world Samaria, and their love has been ordained by the god, Jovah. Gabriel needs to marry before he may assume the role of Archangel, and this girl Rachel is the one the the god has declared to be his wife. Now he only has to find her and convince her of her duty before the annual Gloria is to be sung to appease the god, the lack of which would bring down destruction and divine wrath from the skies.

There is a conflict involved, and a power play between both other angels and powerful humans, which ties into the interesting part, which unfortunately is spoiled right there in the blurb on the back of the book.

Now, this revelation is only hinted to in the actual text of the book, and the setting definitely has potential, but it is unfortunate both that the publisher felt the need to spoil it right on the cover of the book, and that the author barely explores the potential through such a formulaic romance story instead of a more interesting one, but there are two more books in the series, so I'm putting my hopes to a more interesting discussion of faith and philosophy in them.

So, apart from some naive anachronisms, and an overly idealized notion of nomadic lifestyles, along with lengthy descriptions of gowns and jewelery as well as beautiful yet moody angels, I found it well worth reading, mostly because of the novelty of the setting. Hopefully the next two of the series explores the potential of it better. ...more

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Apr 25, 2010 Chachic rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, physical-owned-copies, fictional-crushes, best-of-2010

Originally posted here.

Before I write anything else, I just want to ask what's up with the cover? I'm going to go ahead and assume that that's Rachel but what is she holding in her hands, a feather and a glowing ball of some sort? It's not part of the story at all. I'm glad I've heard so many good things about this book because otherwise, I wouldn't have picked it up based on the strength of its cover alone.

I loved the worldbuilding in this book. The setting is a fictional country called Samaria Originally posted here.

Before I write anything else, I just want to ask what's up with the cover? I'm going to go ahead and assume that that's Rachel but what is she holding in her hands, a feather and a glowing ball of some sort? It's not part of the story at all. I'm glad I've heard so many good things about this book because otherwise, I wouldn't have picked it up based on the strength of its cover alone.

I loved the worldbuilding in this book. The setting is a fictional country called Samaria, where angels co-exist with humans and they pray to the god, Jovah for all kinds of intervention - weather, health and general well-being. All angels are born gifted with incredible musical ability and they pray by singing. Every twenty years, an Archangel is chosen to govern the whole country and every year, the Archangel leads the people in singing a mass, the Gloria, in praise of the god. His angelica (or her angelico if the Archangel is female), the god's chosen wife (or husband) must sing by the Archangel's side. If they don't, the god will strike down lightning from the heavens and destroy the world. Isn't that interesting? There's a lot of theology thrown in this book but it's not preachy and it isn't too much that you'll be overloaded with information. I think it's just enough to show the religion in that world and the strength of the characters' beliefs.

I also loved the characters in this book. Both Rachel and Gabriel are solid characters. Rachel is strong-willed and very very stubborn and even though she knows it's a great honor, she's reluctant to become the angelica. Gabriel is arrogant and self-assured but he loves the land and the people and only want what's the best for them. The story is told from alternating third-person points of view of these two so we get to see how things develop from both sides. I love that even though they're meant for each other by the god's mandate, they still have to work for it. It's definitely not love at first sight and they keep rubbing each other the wrong way. Love-hate relationships for the win!♥

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I look forward to reading the other books in the Samaria series even if they're about different characters. ...more

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Dec 09, 2015 Rhapsody rated it liked it

Shelves: romance, fiction, romance-paranormal

A pretty good story set in a uniquely crafted world based on biblical mythology. I've never encountered this sort of setting in a romance or fantasy novel before, so it was fairly striking, and from the style of the writing, Shinn really seems to know how the bible reads.

Gabriel, an angel, is about the be appointed Archangel, leader of the angels of Samaria. He will become Archangel at a ceremony called the Gloria, in which he and his wife must sing. Of course, that means he has to find his bri ...more

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May 19, 2014 JG rated it did not like it

Shelves: magic, high-fantasy, annoying, worst-heroine-ever, heroine-i-want-to-throttle, over-rated, eye-rolls, did-not-finish, nonhuman-heroes, angels

I can't do this anymore. I refuse to suffer like this.

I'm sad to say, but the heroine is an immature, biased, spiteful bitch. Can somebody please smack some sense into her! Please! She's ruining the whole story! Everytime she does something good, she ruins it by being such a stubborn bitch! The concept of angels and God is intriguing but all of those thing is overshadowed by how immature the freaking heroine is!

Does she have to be so hateful? Does she have to be angry and bitter and UGHGGGGH ...more

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Sep 03, 2016 Leslye rated it liked it

A thoroughly engaging fantasy, but a less than satisfying romance. This world of angels, humans and oracles drew me in totally. But the characters themselves were so abrasive they were difficult to connect with. Also, not enough of the world is explained. What powers do the angels have beyond having their prayers for weather heard? Are they immortal? If so, how do these angel/human pairings end?

Both the hero and heroine were flawed, too flawed in my opinion. Gabriel was arrogant and Rachel was ...more

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Nov 08, 2012 Althea Ann rated it really liked it

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 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 repetiti ...more

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Jan 24, 2015 Marina rated it really liked it

Shelves: 4-star, own

This was a great book, but I feel like I've never been so frustrated with the main character.

The world strongly resembles the early biblical times and is very heavy on Christian mythology -- but does not in any way represent Christianity. In this world angels live with humans on Earth, look after them, listen to the will of god and praise him. Of course there are some corrupt angels who don't believe in God and decide to use their powers for evil. It's all very interesting and somewhat unique. E This was a great book, but I feel like I've never been so frustrated with the main character.

The world strongly resembles the early biblical times and is very heavy on Christian mythology -- but does not in any way represent Christianity. In this world angels live with humans on Earth, look after them, listen to the will of god and praise him. Of course there are some corrupt angels who don't believe in God and decide to use their powers for evil. It's all very interesting and somewhat unique. Every twenty years a different angels becomes an Archangel - chosen by God, to rule over this world. Gabriel is next but before he can become an Archangel he must find his chosen wife -- chosen for him by God -- so that she can be his partner and sing with him at the Gloria aka his becoming Archangel and an annual praise to God. If Gloria doesn't happen... god will destroy the world... so it's really important that Gabriel finds this girl and marries her and gets her to sing.

The wife God chooses for Gabriel is Rachel. She's had a hard life, her family has been brutally murdered when she was young, her entire village wiped out. Then when she is older her savior people are wiped out by some evil people and she's taken into slavery. So she's a slave when Gabriel finds her. Supposedly, when god chooses these partners they're supposed to compliment each other. She makes him less arrogant and he makes her... wait right there. First of all, sure Gabriel came off as little arrogant -- but compared to the some of the other angels in the book, Gabriel is downright the nicest of them all. Sure, he's got a stick up his ass and he doesn't know how to have fun or how to relax. But he's cool and serious-- I wouldn't call him arrogant... at all.

Then there's Rachel... how do you describe Rachel? Cold hearted bitch? Harpy? Witch? Devil spawn? She who would make Lucifer cry and ask for his mother? Listen, I get it, Rachel had a shitty life. And at first, I didn't mind that she was total bitch. It's understandable. She's had to watch people she loves die twice in her life and she's been a slave for five years. Then she's "saved" and is being forced into marriage to a guy she doesn't know and who only saves her because god chose her as his wife. Who wouldn't be bitchy about this? But the thing is: It's not like she's taken out of one set of chains and put into other. Everyone is literally super nice to her, friendly, she gets everything she needs and more to live comfortably. Gabriel goes out of his way to make her more comfortable, allows her to pretty much do whatever the hell she wants. Literally, he doesn't even care if she finds some other lover, as long as she still sings at the Gloria so that god doesn't blow them all to smithereens.

But no, Gabriel is the bad guy who makes her life a living hell. Of course. The only reasons he does this is because he's a selfish arrogant bastard who put her into another set of chains and blah blah blah I'm the most miserable person in creation, everyone hates me and I don't know why it's not like I'm a total bitch to literally everyone I meet who isn't poor or a slave. Alright, listen, I know that being forced into marriage with a stranger isn't very nice. But the fate of the world is in the balance and this guy is literally bending over backwards to give you everything you want! He's not asking for anything in return other than you do your duty and sing the damn song so that god doesn't blow them all up.

But no, Queen Bitch here literally does shit the opposite of what Gabriel asks of her just because she can. Just so she can stick it to him and show how much she resents him. The second he asks for something in return she's all "you're making my life hell, I didn't chose this, I will do what I want and you can't make me do anything." I wanted to slap her so hard! Which is why when Josiah is finally like "listen, you're not the only one whose life is hard and who's lost loved ones. stop whining" I wanted to kiss him on the mouth.

I've literally never met a more unpleasant character. I understand that she doesn't have to be likable. But man, Scarlet O'Hara called and she wants her title back. But at least Scarlet was bitch because she actually tried to accomplish things, Rachel is just a bitch just to be contrary... even if it hurts her. I can't deal with her.

Overall, the book is great. But read only if you're okay with dealing with extremely unpleasant main character. ...more

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Apr 12, 2016 Heather *live on coffee & flowers* rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: boring, angels, fantasy, series, 2016

This was a disappointment.

I suppose I'm destined for disappointment when I go into a fantasy book expecting romance. But I don't think I'm too far off base with this one, since the entire plot hinged around a marriage of convenience and the two main characters reconciling the differences in their personality and, yes, falling in love.

However, the romantic elements took a far back seat to the politics of a desert land called Samaria, and these politics weren't very interesting. This was essential ...more

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Apr 23, 2014 Sharon rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, books-i-own, fantasy-or-paranormal

The first time I read this, I must have been aroun 14. I remember being very underwhelmed. Now, seven years later, my opinion has changed dramatically. This book is perfection. First of all, it it subtle. It's romance is not over dramatic or cheesy. The couple has real problems and has to work through them in a believable and difficult way. Secondly, the writing is gorgeous. Sharon Shinn has a gift for words. Thirdly, I enjoyed the world building. I didn't find the religious themes too nauseatin ...more

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May 11, 2014 Sara rated it liked it

Shelves: sci-fi-fantasy, series-i-need-to-finish

After seeing this book at a used book store a year ago, it was in my mind to read it. Finally, I got it from the library and read it. It's an odd book. It appears to be fantasy at first glance - it's about a world of angels and men, living on what appears to be earth, with many of the place names and people's names straight from the Bible. Everyone worships Jovah. There is really no technology, so people live as you might expect people to live in the middle ages.

There's something strange, thoug ...more

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Aug 04, 2016 Maya rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I liked this one a lot more than I thought I would. I ran across Sharon Shinn on the Literature Map (linked for anyone who wants to play with it for hours on end and hasn't already) through looking up connections to Tamora Pierce, who is one of my favorite authors.

ARCHANGEL is a romance centered around Gabriel, who is looking to become the Archangel for the next 20 years, and his Jovah-chosen mate, Rachel. It's not insta-love, which is a huge plus, but it's realistic. The characters are annoying ...more

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Mar 22, 2007 Caleb Liu rated it liked it

A beautiful fantasy novel about the love that grows between Sarah, a mortal and Gabriel who is soon to become the archangel.

I leant this to a friend only to have it returned suddenly with comments that she couldn't read it because it was 'satanic'. I discovered that it was the work of the devil because it depicted Angels and Men copulating together (notwithstanding the fact that there are biblical descriptions of the same). This just added to my misgivings about fundamentalist Christians.

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About Sharon Shinn

I’ve been writing stories and poems since I was eight years old. My first poem was about Halloween: "What is tonight? What is tonight?/Try to guess and you’ll guess right." Perhaps this inauspicious beginning explains why it took me till I was in my thirties to sell a novel. It occurred to me early on that it might take some time and a lot of tries before I was able to publish any of my creative w I’ve been writing stories and poems since I was eight years old. My first poem was about Halloween: "What is tonight? What is tonight?/Try to guess and you’ll guess right." Perhaps this inauspicious beginning explains why it took me till I was in my thirties to sell a novel. It occurred to me early on that it might take some time and a lot of tries before I was able to publish any of my creative writing, so I pursued a degree in journalism at Northwestern University so I’d be able to support myself while I figured out how to write fiction.

I’ve spent most of my journalism career at three trade and association magazines—The Professional Photographer (which, as you might guess, went to studio and industrial photographers), DECOR (which went to frame shop and art gallery owners), and BizEd (which is directed at deans and professors at business schools). My longest stint, seventeen years, was at DECOR. Many people don’t know this, but I’m a CPF (Certified Picture Framer), having passed a very long, technical test to prove I understood the tenets of conservation framing. Now I write about management education and interview some really cool, really smart people from all over the world.

I mostly write my fiction in the evenings and on weekends. It requires a pretty obsessive-compulsive personality to be as prolific as I’ve been in the past ten years and hold down a full-time job. But I do manage to tear myself away from the computer now and then to do something fun. I read as often as I can, across all genres, though I’m most often holding a book that’s fantasy or romance, with the occasional western thrown in. I’m a fan of Cardinals baseball and try to be at the ballpark on opening day. If I had the time, I’d see a movie every day of my life. I love certain TV shows so much that knowing a new episode is going to air that night will make me happy all day. (I’m a huge Joss Whedon fan, but in the past I’ve given my heart to shows all over the map in terms of quality: "Knight Rider," "Remington Steele," "Blake’s 7," "Moonlighting," "The Young Riders," "Cheers," "Hill Street Blues," "X-Files," "Lost," "Battlestar Galactica"...you can probably fill in the gaps. And let’s not forget my very first loves, "The Partridge Family," "Here Come the Brides" and "Alias Smith & Jones.")

I don’t have kids, I don’t want pets, and all my plants die, so I’m really only forced to provide ongoing care for my menagerie of stuffed animals. All my friends are animal lovers, though, and someone once theorized that I keep friends as pets. I’m still trying to decide if that’s true.

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“Are you asking me if there is a god?' he said, still in that soft voice. 'All I can say is, I believe there is. I feel him when I sing. He has responded to my prayers countless times. He guides my actions and he dwells in my heart. I know he is there.” — 39 likes

“Everybody's afraid of love, because love is what hurts the most.” — 37 likes

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