Kid recommended #2 of this series. I have the general practice of always start the series from #1. So I ended up reading all three. Technically, Sharon Shinn has 5 books based on the Samaria settings. Unlike myself, readers should just read Jovah’s Angel, the #2 and the best one of this series.
Samaria was a continent of a planet far, far away. The people there were descendants of us earthlings millions of years from now. Somehow, in addition to races, they had a new species of angels. Yes, wings, flying, and gorgeous looking. Angels can interbreed with humans and, except for the wings, were pretty much the same as humans. They also had great voice and were very musically inclined. The God generally heeded angels’ prayers, typically delivered singing, for weather control.
For Samaria, God chose an Archangel to rule the world every 20 years or so. Like human rulers, these archangels varied in their charisma, political views, and general agenda for the world. There was no telling how God made his/her choices. Alleluia became the archangel under the most unusual circumstances.
Yes, Sharon Shinn seemed to like female protagonist. Maybe that’s why Kid liked it.
It is not really a new concept for a computer to act as God for the world under-neath. It is interesting those “settlers” to genetically engineer angel and use their enhanced acoustic skills, and the ability to fly up to be closer to the orbiting computer, to act as the intermediary to God. Other than those abilities, these angels were as human as the rest of the population: corruptible, ambitious, and all other banes.
Alleluia, with the help of an engineer, found out the truth and had a decision to make. For those culturally less advanced than medieval, the concept of not having a god and an advanced computer were both controversial and difficult.
The protagonists of the series all being female was interesting. It appeared that Sharon Shinn could give them characters depth easier than those male parts. Other than this, the futuristic social themes were really simplistic: commerce, culture, slavery, and political power.
The description for the singing was interesting. Sharon Shinn depicted the sound almost as painting. I suspect she herself to be an accomplished singer, probably classical instead of pop.