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LINK Angel #1
Archangel Protocol
In a near-future world transformed by an interactive, implanted computer and by "angels," cybernetic manifestations that claim to be working God's will, ex-cop Deidre McMannus, a woman who has had her implant removed for a crime she did not commit, receives an unusual visitor named Michael, who offers her the chance to right her own wrongs and to save the world in the process. Original.
352 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 1, 2001
15 people are currently reading
647 people want to read
About the author
Lyda Morehouse
21 books60 followersLyda Morehouse writes about what gets most people in trouble: religion and politics. Her first novel Archangel Protocol, a cyberpunk hard-boiled detective novel with a romantic twist, won the 2001 Shamus for best paperback original. Apocalypse Array was awarded the Special Citation of Excellence (aka 2nd place) for the Philip K. Dick award.
This author also writes paranormal under the name Tate Hallaway.
This author also writes paranormal under the name Tate Hallaway.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
July 29, 2016
I’ve had this book for ages and just never got around to reading it (I’m really behind on reading my ebooks, because I need to give my tablet a root canal). I figured with an American presidential election around the corner, and with the pseudo-eschatological tones of certain candidates’ campaigns, Archangel Protocol was a nice pairing. I didn’t realize it is 15 years old! Lyda Morehouse says in her preface that she resisted the urge to update it, and I respect that. I won’t rag much on the outdated feeling of this vision of the future anymore than I would stories from the 1960s. Nevertheless, while there were moments that made me smile with fierce appreciation, by and large this book was a hard one for me to like. Despite being about angels, it just seems to lack soul.
Archangel Protocol opens with a hard riff on the noir detective genre, except gender-flipped, and this is the best thing about the book. Not only is our hardboiled detected/ex-cop, Deidre McManus, a woman, but the first thing she does when her prospective client walks into her office is strongly objectify him:
So instead of a femme fatale we’re subverting the trope with a male fatale, or whatever the term would be, and it’s fun. This is where I think Archangel Protocol encounters its problem: it tries to be both fun and noirish, and it can’t quite decide where to draw that line.
Then there’s the overlay of religion and religious themes. Deidre gets drawn into what appears to be a conspiracy to take over the United States, or something like that, involving fake angels that only show up on the LINK (which is like the Internet and cyberspace’s love child). Michael turns out to be an actual angel, from the for-realz heaven—or is he? I couldn’t tell if Michael and his ilk were actually supposed to be literal angels or if this was just another mindfuck hallucination of Deidre’s—and not being to tell whether this was reality or not could have been OK, but I also couldn’t tell if Morehouse was intentionally making it difficult to tell or if it was just sloppy writing. Savvy?
Either way, though, the plot is still a twisty-turning messy rubber band ball of loose ends that often doesn’t feel like it’s going anywhere. Take Danny, Deidre’s former partner, jailed for killing the Pope. He gets out, they meet up, he gets killed—but not before passing on a mysterious Bible he annotated. So I guess he was just a convenient plot device? The Bible, despite Deidre having to possess it, never seems to be that big a deal anyway. It’s more important that Deidre has super-awesome LINK hax0rzing skills that let her take on the Big Bad … not that I understood what kind of skills those were, because Morehouse doesn’t spend much time describing them.
Confusion. Confusion is what I primarily experienced reading Archangel Protocol, and not in a “whoa this is awesome I have no idea what’s going on but my mind is blown” kind of way. Deidre spends her time either running (while having vague metaphysical conversations with Michael) or investigating (which is a lot more interesting but never really seems to do much). In the end, I just had a hard time caring about what was happening in this book, because I didn’t really understand what was going on.
It’s a shame. Morehouse has an interesting world here. There’s a good backstory, which she doesn’t reveal through too much exposition. Deidre herself is an interesting enough character. I like her flaws; I like how, as a product of her time, she has a bit of latent homophobia even though she herself has rejected most of the evangelical and conservative notions of this future American society. I like the way she handles herself, carrying both the strength of an ex-cop out to find the truth and the fragility of someone who is so completely alone. Unfortunately, none of these things shine bright enough to eclipse the muddled plot, dull secondary characters, or weird pseudo-religious-maybe-hallucinatory angel stuff.
Though Archangel Protocol holds immense potential for excellent storytelling, Morehouse’s writing doesn’t bear up. I’m glad I finally got around to reading it and clearing it off my list—but I won’t be jumping to read the sequels any time soon.
Archangel Protocol opens with a hard riff on the noir detective genre, except gender-flipped, and this is the best thing about the book. Not only is our hardboiled detected/ex-cop, Deidre McManus, a woman, but the first thing she does when her prospective client walks into her office is strongly objectify him:
Granted, masculine beauty has always been a weakness of mine, but this man literally took my breath away. Olive-skinned, tall, broad-shouldered, slender-waisted—he looked like he might have been sculpted from marble. Unfortunately, this David remembered to dress himself this morning. His fashion sense leaned toward urban combat. Leather jacket and dusty blue jeans hugged his muscular frame. He looked like a warrior sheathed in casual armor.
So instead of a femme fatale we’re subverting the trope with a male fatale, or whatever the term would be, and it’s fun. This is where I think Archangel Protocol encounters its problem: it tries to be both fun and noirish, and it can’t quite decide where to draw that line.
Then there’s the overlay of religion and religious themes. Deidre gets drawn into what appears to be a conspiracy to take over the United States, or something like that, involving fake angels that only show up on the LINK (which is like the Internet and cyberspace’s love child). Michael turns out to be an actual angel, from the for-realz heaven—or is he? I couldn’t tell if Michael and his ilk were actually supposed to be literal angels or if this was just another mindfuck hallucination of Deidre’s—and not being to tell whether this was reality or not could have been OK, but I also couldn’t tell if Morehouse was intentionally making it difficult to tell or if it was just sloppy writing. Savvy?
Either way, though, the plot is still a twisty-turning messy rubber band ball of loose ends that often doesn’t feel like it’s going anywhere. Take Danny, Deidre’s former partner, jailed for killing the Pope. He gets out, they meet up, he gets killed—but not before passing on a mysterious Bible he annotated. So I guess he was just a convenient plot device? The Bible, despite Deidre having to possess it, never seems to be that big a deal anyway. It’s more important that Deidre has super-awesome LINK hax0rzing skills that let her take on the Big Bad … not that I understood what kind of skills those were, because Morehouse doesn’t spend much time describing them.
Confusion. Confusion is what I primarily experienced reading Archangel Protocol, and not in a “whoa this is awesome I have no idea what’s going on but my mind is blown” kind of way. Deidre spends her time either running (while having vague metaphysical conversations with Michael) or investigating (which is a lot more interesting but never really seems to do much). In the end, I just had a hard time caring about what was happening in this book, because I didn’t really understand what was going on.
It’s a shame. Morehouse has an interesting world here. There’s a good backstory, which she doesn’t reveal through too much exposition. Deidre herself is an interesting enough character. I like her flaws; I like how, as a product of her time, she has a bit of latent homophobia even though she herself has rejected most of the evangelical and conservative notions of this future American society. I like the way she handles herself, carrying both the strength of an ex-cop out to find the truth and the fragility of someone who is so completely alone. Unfortunately, none of these things shine bright enough to eclipse the muddled plot, dull secondary characters, or weird pseudo-religious-maybe-hallucinatory angel stuff.
Though Archangel Protocol holds immense potential for excellent storytelling, Morehouse’s writing doesn’t bear up. I’m glad I finally got around to reading it and clearing it off my list—but I won’t be jumping to read the sequels any time soon.
June 26, 2010
Though it has an interesting premise, this book would have been better handled by a more experienced author. The main character (described as "inoffensive" by the person who gave me a copy) is often downright stupid, and so mired in angst that one quickly loses sympathy for her predicament. Her thoughts and feelings veer wildly from one end of the spectrum to the other with no logic connecting them, even though the story is entirely told from her POV.
Worse is that too often, we learn things about her past just when it becomes convenient to the story. An example would be when one a friend becomes worried about a supposed addiction the main character might have, and only then do we learn that she was an addict back in college. This could have been mentioned earlier very easily: the character had previously talked about her work which skirted addiction, she had seen addicts on the street, and mentioned her college life. Had any of these previous opportunities been utilized, the scene mentioned would have been much more powerful, and would have helped create a more fully rounded character. As written, however, it simply felt like the author came up with this cool idea that she tacked on at the last minute.
Again, the premise has fascinating potential, and the occasional glimpses into the politics and inner workings of a fully religious, fully connected USA are easily the best part of the book. The characters do their best to distract from that, unfortunately. I found myself wishing by the end that Morehouse had taken more influence from William Gibson's panoramic dystopias, and less from paranormal romance.
Worse is that too often, we learn things about her past just when it becomes convenient to the story. An example would be when one a friend becomes worried about a supposed addiction the main character might have, and only then do we learn that she was an addict back in college. This could have been mentioned earlier very easily: the character had previously talked about her work which skirted addiction, she had seen addicts on the street, and mentioned her college life. Had any of these previous opportunities been utilized, the scene mentioned would have been much more powerful, and would have helped create a more fully rounded character. As written, however, it simply felt like the author came up with this cool idea that she tacked on at the last minute.
Again, the premise has fascinating potential, and the occasional glimpses into the politics and inner workings of a fully religious, fully connected USA are easily the best part of the book. The characters do their best to distract from that, unfortunately. I found myself wishing by the end that Morehouse had taken more influence from William Gibson's panoramic dystopias, and less from paranormal romance.
March 12, 2008
Trite pseudo-religion in a fairly well-thought-out (albeit cartoonish) cyberpunk future. Deirdre McMannus was kicked out of the force, excommunicated from Catholicism, and outcast from the LINK (an uber version of the internet) for her role in a Pope's assassination. Since then, she's been barely squeaking by as a freelance detective while trying to come to terms with her partner's betrayal and the loss of her normal life. Then in walks Michael Angelucci, a preternaturally handsome detective who wants her to investigate the phenomenom of angels in the LINK. It is immediately clear that Michael is a real angel--within a few pages of his introduction he has a showdown with his "older brother" "Morningstar". (Morningstar is a jumbled character who gets terrible, anvil-y lines. For instance, Deirdre asks, "Where the hell did you come from" and and he responds, "Exactly.") Deirdre is a well-rounded character with a detailed persona, but the other characters don't fare so well. Michael is a bare sketch of a romantic love interest, while the motivations of the various antagonists are never revealed. I figured out the entire plot (to which Deirdre remains drearily blind for hundreds of pages) within the first thirty pages--I spent the rest of the book shouting "oh come on" and chortling in disgust.
September 26, 2013
This book made me feel like I was watching a grade-B sci-fi cop thriller filmed in the 80's.
In a post-war New York, theocracy has been imposed.
Everyone except the down-and-out have been hooked in to the LINK - a cybernetic brain implant that gives one access to the Internet (basically).
Lately, everyone's been buzzing about the appearance of 'angels' on the LINK. But are these angels a miracle or a hoax? Things get more complicated when our protagonist, a private investigator who's been kicked out of the police force and off the LINK, meets some all too corporeal (and hunky) 'angels' herself.
Some may be annoyed by this book's somewhat pro-Christian stance - others may find some aspects of the story totally blasphemous. Still others may be offended by its favorable portrayal of Israeli terrorists. Anything else? hmm. Not that I can think of offhand. Not too many people are offended by portrayals of corrupt politicians. wink.gif
But really, it's just fairly cheesy, light reading.
In a post-war New York, theocracy has been imposed.
Everyone except the down-and-out have been hooked in to the LINK - a cybernetic brain implant that gives one access to the Internet (basically).
Lately, everyone's been buzzing about the appearance of 'angels' on the LINK. But are these angels a miracle or a hoax? Things get more complicated when our protagonist, a private investigator who's been kicked out of the police force and off the LINK, meets some all too corporeal (and hunky) 'angels' herself.
Some may be annoyed by this book's somewhat pro-Christian stance - others may find some aspects of the story totally blasphemous. Still others may be offended by its favorable portrayal of Israeli terrorists. Anything else? hmm. Not that I can think of offhand. Not too many people are offended by portrayals of corrupt politicians. wink.gif
But really, it's just fairly cheesy, light reading.
February 8, 2013
This is an older novel that's been recently digitally published. The world building is fascinating. Morehouse got so much right with the way the web has taken over our whole electronic world. And her insights into the rise of the ultra-religious are also fascinating. Beyond that, this book includes an intriguing mystery and a breakneck pacing that keeps you hooked until the very last page.
August 7, 2021
Reading this book in high school was the first time it occurred to me that maybe the evangelical Christianity I grew up a part of was not, in fact, the One True Religion and the Only Way to Heaven. Reading it as an adult, I can see issues with the story and writing, but it's still a really compelling story, and it was such a formative experience for Teen Amy that I give it a full five stars.
There are three sequels, and I don't know that I'm going to read all of them - this book stands on its own - but I have the second one ready to go on my Kindle.
(LGBTQIA tag because Lyda is queer; there are a few mentions of queerness in the book, but mostly in reference to how it is outlawed in this future society.)
There are three sequels, and I don't know that I'm going to read all of them - this book stands on its own - but I have the second one ready to go on my Kindle.
(LGBTQIA tag because Lyda is queer; there are a few mentions of queerness in the book, but mostly in reference to how it is outlawed in this future society.)
March 23, 2024
Oh it's not always a good feeling when you read books written over two decades ago that have much of the world falling sway to various theocracies, a charismatic far-right presidential candidate, and mass dependance on technology that both links us together and might destroy us all. Nevertheless, at least the author takes us on a fun ride while we're there. A cyberpunk noir about an excommunicated detective whose faith is challenged by angels, virtual and otherwise, this is a fast-paced and entertaining read. With the recent re-release, the author has said that certain elements of it are dated, but as a piece of early 2000s cyberpunk I think it holds up pretty well.
August 24, 2008
Okay, this book is cheesy. Very cheesy. After a while, it's kind of fun in a MST3K kind of way and I found myself laughing and rolling my eyes in amusement.
The main character (Deidre) is told-not-shown (you know in creative writing class when the teacher screams at you, "SHOW, DON'T TELL"?) that she's tough. She's an ex-cop that was excommunicated due to her...being a partner to a guy that assassinated the Pope...and was sexually harassed by him...Okay, let's not focus on that now. The story is based on faith, the grim electro-future that's mixed in with religion, God, Satan, and cross-dressing angels (no joke) and a whole bunch of other things in the mix that she (author/character) explains as the story goes on (in a "hey, btw, this means this" kind of way).
I wasn't too impressed with Deidre as she turns from hard ex-cop/hacker to shivering (oh yes, more notes on that later) "Why me? Oh noes!" type character. Her angelic lover (spoilers? Not so much, you'll figure it out by yourself in the first chapter), Michael, is bland and I didn't get into him that much. I have to agree with Stacey that Morningstar (uhg, the name, so cheesy!) is one of the most interesting characters, who just happens to be Satan (again, not really a spoiler).
Another thing that irked me was so much shrugging at what could have been climatic parts. I didn't put any of these situations down in my notations, but it was a lot like:
---"Are you really Satan?" I asked, shivering at the thought.
He looked at me and shrugged.---
The whole thing is silly and predictable, but still somehow kind of fun, especially if you have fun cutting down books...like me ^^ Although, keep in mind it is her first book...
But here's the cut-down fun anyway (feel free to join in!):
The Silly -
"Untimely heart attack," Morningstar said, as though pleased.
"You bastard," I murmured, for somehow I sensed Morningstar was to blame for their 'heart attacks'."
-- Ya think? Really? He just did some kind of thing towards them (he gestured or something, I can't remember) and he is the devil after all...So perceptive (she's an ex-cop, remember? That's okay if you didn't, the story will hammer it into you over time).
"Yes, I told myself - the conversation, the wings - they were all part of some kind of fever-induced dream. That's all this was. After all, this is New York 2076, not some biblical backwater. Angels, real angels, didn't walk the Earth. Right?"
-- Oh good, the denial stage. I love this part of every story where something amazing happens. I hope this goes on for a few more chapters...Oh, it does? *Awesome*.
"We can go slow," I said, even as I pulled at his shirt. My legs knocked against his desperately.
-- ....Uh, what? Knocking legs together is sexy, I guess.
-- Let the shivers begin! --
"The smell of fresh ink on newspaper sends a shiver down my spine." (pg 41)
"I shivered, then I shook off the feeling." (pg 34)
"Michael's breath tickled at my ear, and I shivered." (115)
"I shivered and hugged my arms around my waist." (pg 139)
"He shivered." (pg 141)
"Despite my rationalization, I shivered as my fingers traced the raised surface of the black wing on my helmet." (pg 172)
"I shivered." (pg 256)
"A shiver ran up my spine at the thought, and I blew a snort out of my nose to hide my discomfort." (pg 281)
"The little rodent shivered, and its eyes fluttered open." (pg 321)
-- Someone likes to be tickled --
"His warm breath tickled my cheek." (pg 120)
"His kisses were so feather-light they tickled." (pg 132)
"Sweat tickled the short hairs at the back of my neck." (pg 207)
"His lips brushed my cheek, a kiss so soft it was like the tickle of a feather." (pg 272)
It was enjoyable, but just because I'm just a sick and twisted nerd that had a lot of time at work.
The main character (Deidre) is told-not-shown (you know in creative writing class when the teacher screams at you, "SHOW, DON'T TELL"?) that she's tough. She's an ex-cop that was excommunicated due to her...being a partner to a guy that assassinated the Pope...and was sexually harassed by him...Okay, let's not focus on that now. The story is based on faith, the grim electro-future that's mixed in with religion, God, Satan, and cross-dressing angels (no joke) and a whole bunch of other things in the mix that she (author/character) explains as the story goes on (in a "hey, btw, this means this" kind of way).
I wasn't too impressed with Deidre as she turns from hard ex-cop/hacker to shivering (oh yes, more notes on that later) "Why me? Oh noes!" type character. Her angelic lover (spoilers? Not so much, you'll figure it out by yourself in the first chapter), Michael, is bland and I didn't get into him that much. I have to agree with Stacey that Morningstar (uhg, the name, so cheesy!) is one of the most interesting characters, who just happens to be Satan (again, not really a spoiler).
Another thing that irked me was so much shrugging at what could have been climatic parts. I didn't put any of these situations down in my notations, but it was a lot like:
---"Are you really Satan?" I asked, shivering at the thought.
He looked at me and shrugged.---
The whole thing is silly and predictable, but still somehow kind of fun, especially if you have fun cutting down books...like me ^^ Although, keep in mind it is her first book...
But here's the cut-down fun anyway (feel free to join in!):
The Silly -
"Untimely heart attack," Morningstar said, as though pleased.
"You bastard," I murmured, for somehow I sensed Morningstar was to blame for their 'heart attacks'."
-- Ya think? Really? He just did some kind of thing towards them (he gestured or something, I can't remember) and he is the devil after all...So perceptive (she's an ex-cop, remember? That's okay if you didn't, the story will hammer it into you over time).
"Yes, I told myself - the conversation, the wings - they were all part of some kind of fever-induced dream. That's all this was. After all, this is New York 2076, not some biblical backwater. Angels, real angels, didn't walk the Earth. Right?"
-- Oh good, the denial stage. I love this part of every story where something amazing happens. I hope this goes on for a few more chapters...Oh, it does? *Awesome*.
"We can go slow," I said, even as I pulled at his shirt. My legs knocked against his desperately.
-- ....Uh, what? Knocking legs together is sexy, I guess.
-- Let the shivers begin! --
"The smell of fresh ink on newspaper sends a shiver down my spine." (pg 41)
"I shivered, then I shook off the feeling." (pg 34)
"Michael's breath tickled at my ear, and I shivered." (115)
"I shivered and hugged my arms around my waist." (pg 139)
"He shivered." (pg 141)
"Despite my rationalization, I shivered as my fingers traced the raised surface of the black wing on my helmet." (pg 172)
"I shivered." (pg 256)
"A shiver ran up my spine at the thought, and I blew a snort out of my nose to hide my discomfort." (pg 281)
"The little rodent shivered, and its eyes fluttered open." (pg 321)
-- Someone likes to be tickled --
"His warm breath tickled my cheek." (pg 120)
"His kisses were so feather-light they tickled." (pg 132)
"Sweat tickled the short hairs at the back of my neck." (pg 207)
"His lips brushed my cheek, a kiss so soft it was like the tickle of a feather." (pg 272)
It was enjoyable, but just because I'm just a sick and twisted nerd that had a lot of time at work.
January 9, 2013
“Archangel Protocol”, the first volume of the ANGEL-LINK series, was originally published by Penguin USA way back at the turn of the millennium, which feels like a different world looking back on it. The book has been revived by Wizards Tower and is published here from the first time in all its anachronistic glory, an e-book dealing with future tech written before e-books were available.
Morehouse has resisted the temptation to fiddle with it in the light of what we know now, and it’s a stronger book for not being messed with. Some of her predictions are eerily prescient, others are way off, all are well thought out and thought-provoking.
In the America of the then-future, everyone is attached to the LINK – essentially an interactive, holographic version of the internet. In a nation dominated by the religious right, Angels have arisen in the LINK, but no one is sure if they are divine manifest, corrupt programming, or something in between.
Dedrie McManus, disgraced former NY cop, doesn’t believe in angels. Until she falls in love with one, and the battle for the Presidency becomes a battle for the very soul of America…
Conflicted Dedrie is a wonderful character, lending a human face to the high-tech world inhabited by the LINK-angels and the mysterious, lovable, infuriating Mouse, who has his own agenda. Morehouse’s descriptions of a New York turned to glass by the effects of a Medusa Bomb are chilling in their simplicity, reminiscent of J G Ballard’s “Crystal World.”
It’s an entertaining, thoughtful blend of SF and religion. I believe Wizard’s Tower have plans to release the rest of the series, and I’m looking forward to discovering them.
Morehouse has resisted the temptation to fiddle with it in the light of what we know now, and it’s a stronger book for not being messed with. Some of her predictions are eerily prescient, others are way off, all are well thought out and thought-provoking.
In the America of the then-future, everyone is attached to the LINK – essentially an interactive, holographic version of the internet. In a nation dominated by the religious right, Angels have arisen in the LINK, but no one is sure if they are divine manifest, corrupt programming, or something in between.
Dedrie McManus, disgraced former NY cop, doesn’t believe in angels. Until she falls in love with one, and the battle for the Presidency becomes a battle for the very soul of America…
Conflicted Dedrie is a wonderful character, lending a human face to the high-tech world inhabited by the LINK-angels and the mysterious, lovable, infuriating Mouse, who has his own agenda. Morehouse’s descriptions of a New York turned to glass by the effects of a Medusa Bomb are chilling in their simplicity, reminiscent of J G Ballard’s “Crystal World.”
It’s an entertaining, thoughtful blend of SF and religion. I believe Wizard’s Tower have plans to release the rest of the series, and I’m looking forward to discovering them.
June 14, 2011
I should be nicer about this book because it was a first novel, but this book has some serious failings.
I never felt like I was reading a cohesive story. I'm sure the author had a clear idea of what was going on in her world, but I don't feel like it was adequately communicated. Despite the fact one of the characters is an Archangel, she seems to shy away from committing to a definitely cosmology. I understand wanting to keep the human character from understanding how her world works, but as a reader, I wanted to have some confidence that there were rules that universe operated on and I didn't.
Even worse, we have a grand full sensory (I think...) internet called the LINK which connects everyone, but of course, if you unplug yourself from the LINK at times which make it dramatically inappropriate, you die. Hrmm... Again, no real explanation why a technology that 87% of the world is using can kill you if you don't shutdown properly, just that it can.
All in all, I was happy that this novel ended. I was left with more questions than answers and frankly, I don't care to read the rest of the novels to find out.
On the other hand...this book is being re-released. Perhaps some of these issues will be addressed (and the technology updated) which would make the book much better.
I never felt like I was reading a cohesive story. I'm sure the author had a clear idea of what was going on in her world, but I don't feel like it was adequately communicated. Despite the fact one of the characters is an Archangel, she seems to shy away from committing to a definitely cosmology. I understand wanting to keep the human character from understanding how her world works, but as a reader, I wanted to have some confidence that there were rules that universe operated on and I didn't.
Even worse, we have a grand full sensory (I think...) internet called the LINK which connects everyone, but of course, if you unplug yourself from the LINK at times which make it dramatically inappropriate, you die. Hrmm... Again, no real explanation why a technology that 87% of the world is using can kill you if you don't shutdown properly, just that it can.
All in all, I was happy that this novel ended. I was left with more questions than answers and frankly, I don't care to read the rest of the novels to find out.
On the other hand...this book is being re-released. Perhaps some of these issues will be addressed (and the technology updated) which would make the book much better.
January 13, 2013
Fast-paced, science fiction fantasy hybrid with a noir cyberpunk flavor. Because it touches on so many genres and sub genres, as well as the subject of the fate of humanity, there really is something for everyone in this book.
Lyda Morehouse has developed a cast of wonderfully believable and fascinating characters, complete with goals, dreams, and, most importantly, flaws. Unlike some books with many key characters, the protagonist is well developed and likable, rather than simply relying on those in supporting roles to inspire interest and sympathy.
The world has a complex history and political system, all of which have been built without an excess of techno garbage usually associated with cyberpunk. The new and unfamiliar is explained smoothly and succinctly, keeping the story from getting bogged down in definitions and description. The pace of the story complements the rapidly unfolding plot, making it an extremely tough book to put down.
There are moments of beautiful imagery, giving the reader a vision of this future world and the people who live within it. It is a world which I hope to be able to visit again, and I strongly look forward to reading this author's next book.
Lyda Morehouse has developed a cast of wonderfully believable and fascinating characters, complete with goals, dreams, and, most importantly, flaws. Unlike some books with many key characters, the protagonist is well developed and likable, rather than simply relying on those in supporting roles to inspire interest and sympathy.
The world has a complex history and political system, all of which have been built without an excess of techno garbage usually associated with cyberpunk. The new and unfamiliar is explained smoothly and succinctly, keeping the story from getting bogged down in definitions and description. The pace of the story complements the rapidly unfolding plot, making it an extremely tough book to put down.
There are moments of beautiful imagery, giving the reader a vision of this future world and the people who live within it. It is a world which I hope to be able to visit again, and I strongly look forward to reading this author's next book.
March 15, 2008
i'm only about 50 pages in and not really sure i want to bother to finish this, even though it's this week's think galactic book.
seriously, people: if you're writing a story that takes in 2075, it should be 2075 ALL THE TIME. the main character should NOT be allowed to conveniently forget that and start thinking about their technology from what is clearly a current-day perspective, just for the purpose of whamming the reader in the head with another cyberpunk plot point.
i'm gonna give it another try tonight, but if i still don't care by the time i am tired enough to fall asleep, that is it for me and lyda.
After finishing book: OK, I got a little more into it but not THAT into it. There was just too little characterization for me to like this book. And the plot was too contrived. And there was actually no motivational reason for the evil character to be evil. And a billion other things we discussed at book group.
seriously, people: if you're writing a story that takes in 2075, it should be 2075 ALL THE TIME. the main character should NOT be allowed to conveniently forget that and start thinking about their technology from what is clearly a current-day perspective, just for the purpose of whamming the reader in the head with another cyberpunk plot point.
i'm gonna give it another try tonight, but if i still don't care by the time i am tired enough to fall asleep, that is it for me and lyda.
After finishing book: OK, I got a little more into it but not THAT into it. There was just too little characterization for me to like this book. And the plot was too contrived. And there was actually no motivational reason for the evil character to be evil. And a billion other things we discussed at book group.
June 19, 2011
Cyberpunk is a dated genre, this is: a challenge for a good writer, a millstone for a mediocre writer, a tombstone for a bad writer. A cyberpunk world divided along religious lines *could* be an interesting concept. Lyda Morehouse asks too much of her readers upfront: I found it difficult to suspend my disbelief in mythical, religious beings. She introduces "Michael" early in the book, a lasciviously described, combat armor wearing, gun toting archangel... seriously? I was unimpressed with the writing: no pace, too much exposition, useless plot; and the characters were laughable wisps of vapor. I don't have time in my life to read bad writing anymore. I used to give books at least fifty pages to catch and hold my attention, but I put this horrible pile down early, only a few dozen pages in.
February 21, 2019
I want to support female authors, especially local female authors. But I won't be reading any more of this series. I want my science fiction to be free of fantasy. And if it has fantasy elements, for those to be of the kind that some people don't really believe in. I'm too much of a heathen to enjoy this. But really, what was I expecting? And I spent too much time trying to figure out if the author really believed in all this stuff. Which is weird because if she had been writing about dragons I wouldn't have had one thought about whether or not she believed in dragons. I'm just the wrong audience for this book.
August 11, 2016
I gave up on this one. If I have to read about one more fiercely independent, feisty, basically emotionally retarded and stupid lady cop/PI I'm going to scream, or barf, or both. Also, if I'm still in the dark getting on for ten chapters in, and I don't know the general setup of the particular dark, dystopian future I'm being asked to buy into, all I feel is frustration and apathy and I'm screaming for heaven's sake explain something to me will you, then it ain't working and I'm not prepared to undertake the long slog to make it. So, sorry, thanks but no thanks. On to the next.
July 19, 2023
This was a ridiculous crossing of genres. At times it was a noir detective novel, but set in a near-ish future USA where a brain-implant-accessible internet/VR exists, but also where religion is so ingrained into our culture and society that it's illegal to not have a registered organized religion with the government. As if all that wasn't enough, (I'll admit if that was the extent of the weirdness, I'd definitely be intrigued), angels – as in messengers from god – are real.
I think the angel thing is what tipped it from "an intriguing sci-fi premise" into "annoying urban fantasy" for me. There are a lot of threads un-pulled here, and plot holes as big as the biggest ones in the bible. I thought the main character was so full of hypocrisy that it was incredibly hard for me to empathize with her.
The fact that this is a local author, and recommended by a friend of mine, kept me reading to the end. I even bought used copies of the two sequels to this book, but I can't see myself reading them any time soon. Maybe I'll keep them on my shelf to maybe read them... someday.
Added 2023-07-19: I think I was a bit harsh in my review. There is a lot to like about this book! The GLBT representation in particular is well done, especially considering its publication date from over 20 years ago. I was musing a bit, and if you removed the "angels are real" business, I actually do think this would be a fun book. I still probably wouldn't like the protagonist much, but that's not unusual for a lot of PI/detective/noir stuff for me.
I think the angel thing is what tipped it from "an intriguing sci-fi premise" into "annoying urban fantasy" for me. There are a lot of threads un-pulled here, and plot holes as big as the biggest ones in the bible. I thought the main character was so full of hypocrisy that it was incredibly hard for me to empathize with her.
The fact that this is a local author, and recommended by a friend of mine, kept me reading to the end. I even bought used copies of the two sequels to this book, but I can't see myself reading them any time soon. Maybe I'll keep them on my shelf to maybe read them... someday.
Added 2023-07-19: I think I was a bit harsh in my review. There is a lot to like about this book! The GLBT representation in particular is well done, especially considering its publication date from over 20 years ago. I was musing a bit, and if you removed the "angels are real" business, I actually do think this would be a fun book. I still probably wouldn't like the protagonist much, but that's not unusual for a lot of PI/detective/noir stuff for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 3, 2015
Ever since I found the wonder that was mallworld, I've been really riding on that fantastical hope that mysterious second hand book stores are going to lead me to obscure and lovable stories. I don't really think that ideal is true or false right now- it's just my way of saying I picked this book off the shelf for two bucks and with zero expectations.
It didn't disappoint, only because there was nothing to be disappointed with.
The book is set in a super religious future where every most countries are theocracies in some way. The united states recognizes christianity and judaism and various sects of, but that is roughly it. Also, everyone is constantly connected to the internet in their minds. Also, the main character (washed up cop turned PI) had her last partner shoot the pope.
It's weird, but you do sort of get into it. Oddly, the characters are... good? The story is... quite progressively? For some reason, I kept thinking it was written in the 90s or even late 80s instead of 2001. It feels very timed and old. The writing is hilarious in the beginning, but tones itself down pretty fast. When we first meet Michael, our supposed love interest, the couple paragraphs describing him are pure gold.
http://goo.gl/UYq60M
Yes, I'm just using a link for the image. It's an excerpt, and I'm too lazy to upload it to goodreads.
Anyways, the writing really, really tones down after the first few chaps. There's no stunning prose or smart words, but it works fine. The humor factor, sadly, leave with this literary departure.
The super religious world the story takes place in is confusing as heck, as are the politics. It seems at first like America has all sorts of religions accepted, they're just more like political parties. Then later, it seems more like the whole place is only Christian. At one point, I feel like it's implied Judaism isn't accepted. Some details seem inconsistent, and though you can grasp the politics enough to follow the main plot, a lot of things feel lost.
The LINK is hell to follow also. I still don't know anything about it. The main character, Deidre McMannus (nice name!) spends a lot of the book off the LINK- she had it removed after her friend shot the pope and all. So we don't see a lot of LINK stuff- even when she gets it back, she can't use it because she's a wanted person. Only at the climax does it suddenly see a lot of use, making it really hard to follow.
It's like the internet, and you have avatars, but not really? Things are 3D, but not really? You can feel things and interact with them, but not- Okay, look, I have no clue how it works. It made very minimal sense.
A lot of blame I see in other reviews is placed on the author having this be her debut novel. I think that probably is an unfair thing to play- tons and tons of debut novelists have good debuts. Tons of good novelists from small presses have good debuts too. I don't want to insult the author, but it's probably just that she isn't the best writer. And I bet she's gotten better, too. It's just probably not the mere 'debut' factor that harmed this book. It's the confusing world building and detailing.
The MC is picking up some slack for being stupid, and honestly I mostly disagree. She was stupid- to a point. The first section of the book, where she meets Michael and it's painfully obvious he's an angel, like a real one, but she doesn't realize it? That was stupid. It was even worse, and EXTREMELY CONFUSING, when she assumed he was a LINK angel. A LINK angel?? Dear, you know you had your LINK severed, right? How could he be an artificial intelligence that lives online if he IS IN YOUR OFFICE RIGHT NOW.
This book gets some props from me, tho, for being oddly diverse and progressive. Remember, though, I still think of it being written in the 90s. But still, there's a lot of non-white characters, and even some non-hetero ones. There aren't any harsh stereotypes, and all religions are portrayed equally.
About the last one...
So angels are real. The bible is real. God is real. But all religions are evidently still fairly valid? I like how the author tiptoes through and around this. But it still feels a bit odd.
The angels are weird as hell too, but I do like that in angels. Boring biker Michael. Black Muslim Gabriel. Raphael who-cares nice dude. Transvestite/possibly transgender asian Uriel? Iiiiiiiiinteresting choices there.
The actual discussions of gender and orientation are really nice in this book, actually, like a very unexpected surprise. The book loses points for having a gay man utter the words 'Girlfriend, I'm gay', but it does gain some for letting the male love interest express he's (essentially, tho not canon) bisexual, followed by a nice conversation on the gender of angels and of God.
More coverage on characters before I call it a day:
Our main character is a washed up cop. I already covered this, and by reading that sentence, you already know it.
Michael, the love interest, isn't that bad of a character. As the love interest, he is automatically denounced to be the most boring. But he isn't all that bad, and I like how he and MC aren't running off in love by the end. They have a tight, tensioned relationship (for a lot of reasons)
Daniel: why?
Mouse: Mouse, my love. My love. Why. (I expect him to be in the sequel! I need more of him.
Writing that above list has actually triggered a flashback of a memory of what I was planning to mention: The book feels unfinished. The conclusion happens fast, and then we get a timeskip. We don't learn the motivations of the villain, we don't learn what happened to many of the characters. There's a lot of weird gaps and uncertainty, even if the very basic level of the plot is done. I know the sequel doesn't actually feature the same main characters, but I expect some more closure anyways.
Yes, I will be reading the sequel. This book isn't really good, but it's about angels and the future, so I can have my fun. My hope is that it'll be easier the second time around, with a lot of things already established. And honestly, the book isn't all that bad
3.5
It didn't disappoint, only because there was nothing to be disappointed with.
The book is set in a super religious future where every most countries are theocracies in some way. The united states recognizes christianity and judaism and various sects of, but that is roughly it. Also, everyone is constantly connected to the internet in their minds. Also, the main character (washed up cop turned PI) had her last partner shoot the pope.
It's weird, but you do sort of get into it. Oddly, the characters are... good? The story is... quite progressively? For some reason, I kept thinking it was written in the 90s or even late 80s instead of 2001. It feels very timed and old. The writing is hilarious in the beginning, but tones itself down pretty fast. When we first meet Michael, our supposed love interest, the couple paragraphs describing him are pure gold.
http://goo.gl/UYq60M
Yes, I'm just using a link for the image. It's an excerpt, and I'm too lazy to upload it to goodreads.
Anyways, the writing really, really tones down after the first few chaps. There's no stunning prose or smart words, but it works fine. The humor factor, sadly, leave with this literary departure.
The super religious world the story takes place in is confusing as heck, as are the politics. It seems at first like America has all sorts of religions accepted, they're just more like political parties. Then later, it seems more like the whole place is only Christian. At one point, I feel like it's implied Judaism isn't accepted. Some details seem inconsistent, and though you can grasp the politics enough to follow the main plot, a lot of things feel lost.
The LINK is hell to follow also. I still don't know anything about it. The main character, Deidre McMannus (nice name!) spends a lot of the book off the LINK- she had it removed after her friend shot the pope and all. So we don't see a lot of LINK stuff- even when she gets it back, she can't use it because she's a wanted person. Only at the climax does it suddenly see a lot of use, making it really hard to follow.
It's like the internet, and you have avatars, but not really? Things are 3D, but not really? You can feel things and interact with them, but not- Okay, look, I have no clue how it works. It made very minimal sense.
A lot of blame I see in other reviews is placed on the author having this be her debut novel. I think that probably is an unfair thing to play- tons and tons of debut novelists have good debuts. Tons of good novelists from small presses have good debuts too. I don't want to insult the author, but it's probably just that she isn't the best writer. And I bet she's gotten better, too. It's just probably not the mere 'debut' factor that harmed this book. It's the confusing world building and detailing.
The MC is picking up some slack for being stupid, and honestly I mostly disagree. She was stupid- to a point. The first section of the book, where she meets Michael and it's painfully obvious he's an angel, like a real one, but she doesn't realize it? That was stupid. It was even worse, and EXTREMELY CONFUSING, when she assumed he was a LINK angel. A LINK angel?? Dear, you know you had your LINK severed, right? How could he be an artificial intelligence that lives online if he IS IN YOUR OFFICE RIGHT NOW.
This book gets some props from me, tho, for being oddly diverse and progressive. Remember, though, I still think of it being written in the 90s. But still, there's a lot of non-white characters, and even some non-hetero ones. There aren't any harsh stereotypes, and all religions are portrayed equally.
About the last one...
So angels are real. The bible is real. God is real. But all religions are evidently still fairly valid? I like how the author tiptoes through and around this. But it still feels a bit odd.
The angels are weird as hell too, but I do like that in angels. Boring biker Michael. Black Muslim Gabriel. Raphael who-cares nice dude. Transvestite/possibly transgender asian Uriel? Iiiiiiiiinteresting choices there.
The actual discussions of gender and orientation are really nice in this book, actually, like a very unexpected surprise. The book loses points for having a gay man utter the words 'Girlfriend, I'm gay', but it does gain some for letting the male love interest express he's (essentially, tho not canon) bisexual, followed by a nice conversation on the gender of angels and of God.
More coverage on characters before I call it a day:
Our main character is a washed up cop. I already covered this, and by reading that sentence, you already know it.
Michael, the love interest, isn't that bad of a character. As the love interest, he is automatically denounced to be the most boring. But he isn't all that bad, and I like how he and MC aren't running off in love by the end. They have a tight, tensioned relationship (for a lot of reasons)
Daniel: why?
Mouse: Mouse, my love. My love. Why. (I expect him to be in the sequel! I need more of him.
Writing that above list has actually triggered a flashback of a memory of what I was planning to mention: The book feels unfinished. The conclusion happens fast, and then we get a timeskip. We don't learn the motivations of the villain, we don't learn what happened to many of the characters. There's a lot of weird gaps and uncertainty, even if the very basic level of the plot is done. I know the sequel doesn't actually feature the same main characters, but I expect some more closure anyways.
Yes, I will be reading the sequel. This book isn't really good, but it's about angels and the future, so I can have my fun. My hope is that it'll be easier the second time around, with a lot of things already established. And honestly, the book isn't all that bad
3.5
December 10, 2018
Somehow this book is both very cliché and rather unique in some aspects.
An interesting setting of (a somewhat) dystopian world with religion being both the law/social norm and manufactured for mass control. But then also real in a sense of actual angels, with a nice touch that even when faced with disillusion of manufactured religion, the characters still take actual angels/miracles as given, since they are so religious to begin with. Also cool cyberpunk tech of the LINK, as a neural internet, and some details on it's infrastructure and hub as a point in the story.
It's refreshing to have a female-led cyberpunk story, and though it does a bit stereotypically drag parts of the story to the a more romance style of book, it does generally tie-in with the plot well enough.
An interesting setting of (a somewhat) dystopian world with religion being both the law/social norm and manufactured for mass control. But then also real in a sense of actual angels, with a nice touch that even when faced with disillusion of manufactured religion, the characters still take actual angels/miracles as given, since they are so religious to begin with. Also cool cyberpunk tech of the LINK, as a neural internet, and some details on it's infrastructure and hub as a point in the story.
It's refreshing to have a female-led cyberpunk story, and though it does a bit stereotypically drag parts of the story to the a more romance style of book, it does generally tie-in with the plot well enough.
August 17, 2024
I first read the AngeLink series when it was released in the early 2000’s. 20 years later and I still find it refreshingly original. Archangel Protocol is a blend of detective noir and cyberpunk within a religious dystopian future. Many of the questions regarding religion and secularism are still relevant today. Morehouse presents these topics fairly and evenly. She gives credibility to all religions while also discrediting any religion’s sole claim to the TRUTH. And any religious drama aside - stripped down, Archangel is still a fun romp through a Gibson-esque world with convincing characters and a unique take.
July 4, 2018
This book is ok. There is an interesting premise, but the writer spends time on all the most boring aspects of the world for a really long time. The writing is bland. I didn't finish it because I got really, really bored.
February 27, 2022
Interesting work, and a nicely mild cyberpunk style. The realization the Michael was a real angel dragged on for longer than seemed necessary, but the rest was good. The world was well described as well.
November 15, 2019
An thrilling adventure in a intricately high tech post apocalyptical world.
dnf
July 9, 2023on hold
April 15, 2021
Let me start off by saying that this was my favorite book (and, by extension, the start of my favorite series) of 2019. I wish I had written my review when things were a little fresher on my mind, but hey, it made enough of an impression that I'm still here thinking about it almost a full year later, and that tells you something, doesn't it?
Finding Archangel Protocol was a matter of complete luck for me; I picked it up in the sci-fi section of a local Half Price Books (where I never found a copy before or since--and I have been looking since) pretty much at random multiple years back, tossing it in my TBR pile the second I got home and immediately forgetting about it. Then, an intervention: my Literary Tradition class assigned Paradise Lost, and you can imagine where things went from there. Archangels... the devil as a romantic figure... let's just say I was in the mood.
Archangel Protocol did not disappoint.
The two things I really look for in a work of fiction are engaging characters and intricate world building, with the caveat, of course, that the latter condition is only engaging if the former is fulfilled. IMO, Morehouse delivered on both fronts. All of her characters, but not least protagonist Deidre, are wonderfully human; they're allowed to have equal strengths and flaws, occasionally dwelling on prejudices and misconceptions explicitly not condoned by the narrative. (For example, Deidre's Catholic upbringing leaves her a little closed-minded on some accounts, and while she does learn, never does she undergo a viewpoint 180 and become all-loving or totally non-judgemental, because that's not, like, how people work.) The supporting cast is diverse and lovely, ranging from archangels to freedom fighters, hackers to mutants. Each character, no matter how brief their appearance in the novel, brings in the feeling of some greater depth; no one is introduced carelessly. And the world building.
Oh, the world building.
Archangel Protocol takes place in 2075, in the aftermath of The War to End All Wars (...part 3). It is, in my opinion, "dystopian" fiction as dystopian fiction should be written; the effects of the war are readily apparent, the government clearly suffers from corruption, and this definitely is not the perfect, Jetsons-esque future we were promised... but life goes on. Morehouse delivers a flawed yet believable future, ornamented by two major facets of her own: the religion thing, and the LINK. The religion thing is a product of the war. After humanity witnessed biological and nuclear terror on an unprecedented level in its latest world war, science and secularism experience massive pushback, essentially being forced into the role of the sacrificial lamb when people are ready to move back into a time of peace. In their wake, religion rises in a new Great Awakening; in nearly every soverign nation, religious leaders double as political leaders, and anyone who doesn't belong, at least nominally, to some established religion risks ostacization or worse... and, as Deidre experiences shortly after excommunication, they lose access to the LINK.
As you might be able to guess, the LINK is the logical next technological jump up from the smart phone: an implant in your head that takes your mind to the world wide web directly. Despite the elaborate backstory, Archangel Protocol is one of those sci-fi books that takes place about "ten minutes" into the future; technology isn't so advanced yet that we can't recognize it, and for the most part, the LINK functions just like any normal computer (which, by the way, still exist--Deidre uses one--but are considered archaic and slow compared to the LINK's capabilities). One of Deidre's main motivations in the story is her quest to get back onto the LINK. It's only logical. Who wants to be denied access to the portal through which all information and business is available? The LINK also introduces us to Mouse, a sometimes-friend of Deidre's (when she was with the police, he was a little bit like the Valjean to her Javert... except for all the parts where he totally deserved apprehension. He's also my favorite character, incidentally) and an expert hacker, along with Page, Mouse's sentient AI.
And did I mention there are angels? The religious fanatacism that serves as our backdrop is made a little more complex with the existence of walking, talking archangels among us--not that the general populace is aware of them. Like Elwood Blues, they're on Earth on a mission from God, and at least one of these missions intersects with Deidre's purpose, which kicks off the events of the novel. Have I confused you yet? Don't worry; Lyda Morehouse does a better job with juggling all the information I've been spitting out, and she has a lot "more" time to ease you into it. I just wanted to demonstrate the extent of the details that Morehouse shares with us, and hopefully entice anyone, like me, interested in dynamic characters and beautiful world building to give Archangel Protocol a try.
Finding Archangel Protocol was a matter of complete luck for me; I picked it up in the sci-fi section of a local Half Price Books (where I never found a copy before or since--and I have been looking since) pretty much at random multiple years back, tossing it in my TBR pile the second I got home and immediately forgetting about it. Then, an intervention: my Literary Tradition class assigned Paradise Lost, and you can imagine where things went from there. Archangels... the devil as a romantic figure... let's just say I was in the mood.
Archangel Protocol did not disappoint.
The two things I really look for in a work of fiction are engaging characters and intricate world building, with the caveat, of course, that the latter condition is only engaging if the former is fulfilled. IMO, Morehouse delivered on both fronts. All of her characters, but not least protagonist Deidre, are wonderfully human; they're allowed to have equal strengths and flaws, occasionally dwelling on prejudices and misconceptions explicitly not condoned by the narrative. (For example, Deidre's Catholic upbringing leaves her a little closed-minded on some accounts, and while she does learn, never does she undergo a viewpoint 180 and become all-loving or totally non-judgemental, because that's not, like, how people work.) The supporting cast is diverse and lovely, ranging from archangels to freedom fighters, hackers to mutants. Each character, no matter how brief their appearance in the novel, brings in the feeling of some greater depth; no one is introduced carelessly. And the world building.
Oh, the world building.
Archangel Protocol takes place in 2075, in the aftermath of The War to End All Wars (...part 3). It is, in my opinion, "dystopian" fiction as dystopian fiction should be written; the effects of the war are readily apparent, the government clearly suffers from corruption, and this definitely is not the perfect, Jetsons-esque future we were promised... but life goes on. Morehouse delivers a flawed yet believable future, ornamented by two major facets of her own: the religion thing, and the LINK. The religion thing is a product of the war. After humanity witnessed biological and nuclear terror on an unprecedented level in its latest world war, science and secularism experience massive pushback, essentially being forced into the role of the sacrificial lamb when people are ready to move back into a time of peace. In their wake, religion rises in a new Great Awakening; in nearly every soverign nation, religious leaders double as political leaders, and anyone who doesn't belong, at least nominally, to some established religion risks ostacization or worse... and, as Deidre experiences shortly after excommunication, they lose access to the LINK.
As you might be able to guess, the LINK is the logical next technological jump up from the smart phone: an implant in your head that takes your mind to the world wide web directly. Despite the elaborate backstory, Archangel Protocol is one of those sci-fi books that takes place about "ten minutes" into the future; technology isn't so advanced yet that we can't recognize it, and for the most part, the LINK functions just like any normal computer (which, by the way, still exist--Deidre uses one--but are considered archaic and slow compared to the LINK's capabilities). One of Deidre's main motivations in the story is her quest to get back onto the LINK. It's only logical. Who wants to be denied access to the portal through which all information and business is available? The LINK also introduces us to Mouse, a sometimes-friend of Deidre's (when she was with the police, he was a little bit like the Valjean to her Javert... except for all the parts where he totally deserved apprehension. He's also my favorite character, incidentally) and an expert hacker, along with Page, Mouse's sentient AI.
And did I mention there are angels? The religious fanatacism that serves as our backdrop is made a little more complex with the existence of walking, talking archangels among us--not that the general populace is aware of them. Like Elwood Blues, they're on Earth on a mission from God, and at least one of these missions intersects with Deidre's purpose, which kicks off the events of the novel. Have I confused you yet? Don't worry; Lyda Morehouse does a better job with juggling all the information I've been spitting out, and she has a lot "more" time to ease you into it. I just wanted to demonstrate the extent of the details that Morehouse shares with us, and hopefully entice anyone, like me, interested in dynamic characters and beautiful world building to give Archangel Protocol a try.
December 30, 2010
This is the first book in a series that currently contains 4 books. The books are set in a sort of post apocalyptic United States of America, where everyone has the LINK and America is now a theocracy.
In this book Deidre is an ex-cop who has been excommunicated from her religion because of a crime her cop partner committed. Since government and religion go hand in hand, when she is excommunicated from her religion she has her LINK deactivated and is thrust out of standard human society. The LINK provides access to everything; money, jobs, etc. As someone who is un-LINKed she is forced to eke out a living as an investigator to other unLinked individuals. Another cop Michael saunters into her office and asks her to help show that the miraculous LINK-angles are not actual miracles but a hoax; despite the risk Deidre, is tempted to take the case since Michael offers the one thing for payment that Deidre would give anything to have, he offers to reactivate her LINK. Deidre gets much more than she bargained for.
This book is an interesting blend of post-apocalyptic sci-fi, cyber punk, and paranormal genres. Unforunately for me, although it was an interesting blend, it fell short of fulfilling any of those genres. The world that Morehouse creates, is semi-believable, but feels somewhat contrived. As a more personal paranormal novel; the main character falls short of being believable and comes off as a bit stiff.
I will admit the novel has an interesting premise; although towards the end the mixture of religion and cyber-punk got a bit strange and forced. Also the idea of "the leader of the freeworld" falling into a theocracy is eerily believable and creepy. For the most part this idea of religion taking over everyone's live and religion stunting free-will (woman must where regulation length dresses, birth control is a huge no-no, etc.) makes for an uncomfortable and distrubing read. Sadly though this is a sci-fi topic that has been overdone and has been seen in numerous plots before.
Although I did like the warmer more personal approach to sci-fi that this author took, I still struggled through this book. The book never really grabbed me and pulled me forward; I had to push through it. I would find myself rereading paragraphs just because I lost interest in what I was reading.
Despite all the above cons I have to applaud the author for trying to create a new niche in the sci-fi genre. The world created is also very creative. The main heroine is pretty believable. I own the next two books in the series, so I will probably read them. I hope, though, that they are better than this book. I do think this could turn out to be a great series. Sometimes the initial book has to spend too much time explaining a new world, so maybe that is part of what made this book a bit boring for me.
In this book Deidre is an ex-cop who has been excommunicated from her religion because of a crime her cop partner committed. Since government and religion go hand in hand, when she is excommunicated from her religion she has her LINK deactivated and is thrust out of standard human society. The LINK provides access to everything; money, jobs, etc. As someone who is un-LINKed she is forced to eke out a living as an investigator to other unLinked individuals. Another cop Michael saunters into her office and asks her to help show that the miraculous LINK-angles are not actual miracles but a hoax; despite the risk Deidre, is tempted to take the case since Michael offers the one thing for payment that Deidre would give anything to have, he offers to reactivate her LINK. Deidre gets much more than she bargained for.
This book is an interesting blend of post-apocalyptic sci-fi, cyber punk, and paranormal genres. Unforunately for me, although it was an interesting blend, it fell short of fulfilling any of those genres. The world that Morehouse creates, is semi-believable, but feels somewhat contrived. As a more personal paranormal novel; the main character falls short of being believable and comes off as a bit stiff.
I will admit the novel has an interesting premise; although towards the end the mixture of religion and cyber-punk got a bit strange and forced. Also the idea of "the leader of the freeworld" falling into a theocracy is eerily believable and creepy. For the most part this idea of religion taking over everyone's live and religion stunting free-will (woman must where regulation length dresses, birth control is a huge no-no, etc.) makes for an uncomfortable and distrubing read. Sadly though this is a sci-fi topic that has been overdone and has been seen in numerous plots before.
Although I did like the warmer more personal approach to sci-fi that this author took, I still struggled through this book. The book never really grabbed me and pulled me forward; I had to push through it. I would find myself rereading paragraphs just because I lost interest in what I was reading.
Despite all the above cons I have to applaud the author for trying to create a new niche in the sci-fi genre. The world created is also very creative. The main heroine is pretty believable. I own the next two books in the series, so I will probably read them. I hope, though, that they are better than this book. I do think this could turn out to be a great series. Sometimes the initial book has to spend too much time explaining a new world, so maybe that is part of what made this book a bit boring for me.
February 26, 2013
First published in 2001, Archangel Protocol has been brought back to life through the existence of a pirated electronic text. It’s now legally available through outlets such as Wizards Tower Books.
That techno wizardry of some description was involved in the salvage of Morehouse’s text is somewhat ironic given the post-apocalyptic tale that she gives us with the Archangel Protocol. Morehouse delivers a solid tale that has aged remarkably well.
It’s largely detective fiction set in a hyper connected world living on after a third world war. It draws strongly on cyberpunk themes( and I would probably classify it as such) – a hyper connected world, avatars running around in cyberspace, hackers etc., but also serves up some interesting ideas and commentary on religion and politics in an American context.
Morehouse’s vision of the future, its politics and the state of religions affairs, is plausible fresh and certainly still relevant 13 years on. Even the technology, or more precisely the way social media is presented in the book doesn’t miss the mark by all that much.
Where it came a little unstuck for me was in the religious plot. This is more a personal issue for me and not any real reflection on the author. Give me witch kings and wizards and I have no problem suspending my disbelief, the minute we start talking angels in a theological sense and including them in a story I begin to lose interest. Perhaps it’s because I view Archangel Protocol as more science fiction than fantasy, because the “world” is closer to our own, that I have a mental speed bump here.
That being said the metaphysical content in the book is fairly ecumenical, the thrust very liberal – the way I prefer my religions to be.
Another good point is its treatment of gay and transgender characters, the world may be harsh to those living outside the very strictly defined norm, but Morehouse presents sympathetic and strong characters from these minority groups.
If you pine for cyberpunk but want to leave behind the mirror shades and the 1980’s then took a look at Archangel Protocol, I enjoyed the reading despite the speed bump. Would I read more Morehouse? Definitely.
This book was provided by Wizards Tower Books free of charge.
July 31, 2013
The year is 2076. A quarter century before, the dropping of Medusa bombs in a global world caused havoc - followed by a resurgence in religious beliefs and aversion to secular science. A new world where most people in the world are linked by the LINK systems embedded in their skulls, but which resents a government favoring science over religion, and thus, in their eyes, war over peace.
Deidrei, an ex-cop suspended from her job and excommunicated by the Catholics for her possible involvement in the assassination of the Pope is now hired just before election time by Archangel Michael to expose to the world that Archangels, who appear only on LINK, are but technical constructs. But are they? Or are they real angels adapting themselves to technology?
Like many wonderful works, this is one I have mixed feelings about. On certain levels, it is an absolute delight - the subtexts of a work are what lend it a depth beyond that of the obvious plot. Morehouse delicately brushes against a variety of issues with gentle irony – political lines divided over versions of religion, some controversial issues of celibacy and LGBT traits and its acceptability in the Catholic religion, and its curious mix of Christian, Muslim and Jewish traditions and characters, their fates all entwined with each other as people and politicians.
This novel is perhaps a lot more accessible to those familiar with the Bible or the Torah, since these two dominate and dictate the theological part of the story.
The most obvious theme of the novel was the confluence of highly advanced technology and a theocratic world, and I was expecting a stimulating ideological novel through this intersection, especially when informed by politics. Something philosophical, perhaps, on the lines of H.G.Wells, or perhaps a Mievillian slant – but as the story progresses, the brilliant scope for an exposition on these lines is wasted and this becomes a mere techno-thriller.
This is, perhaps, despite being written in the 21st century, closer to classic cyberpunk in many ways than feminist cyberpunk ever was even in the ‘90s. While it does slightly touch upon real-life issues, it refrains from backing up its own controversial statements, and towards the latter part of the work, evacuates itself entirely from such concerns and is solely focused upon the primary thriller plot. Perhaps Philip K. Dick, I think in retrospect, did a far better work in The Divine Invasion in terms of holding on the readers’ interest.
Deidrei, an ex-cop suspended from her job and excommunicated by the Catholics for her possible involvement in the assassination of the Pope is now hired just before election time by Archangel Michael to expose to the world that Archangels, who appear only on LINK, are but technical constructs. But are they? Or are they real angels adapting themselves to technology?
Like many wonderful works, this is one I have mixed feelings about. On certain levels, it is an absolute delight - the subtexts of a work are what lend it a depth beyond that of the obvious plot. Morehouse delicately brushes against a variety of issues with gentle irony – political lines divided over versions of religion, some controversial issues of celibacy and LGBT traits and its acceptability in the Catholic religion, and its curious mix of Christian, Muslim and Jewish traditions and characters, their fates all entwined with each other as people and politicians.
This novel is perhaps a lot more accessible to those familiar with the Bible or the Torah, since these two dominate and dictate the theological part of the story.
The most obvious theme of the novel was the confluence of highly advanced technology and a theocratic world, and I was expecting a stimulating ideological novel through this intersection, especially when informed by politics. Something philosophical, perhaps, on the lines of H.G.Wells, or perhaps a Mievillian slant – but as the story progresses, the brilliant scope for an exposition on these lines is wasted and this becomes a mere techno-thriller.
This is, perhaps, despite being written in the 21st century, closer to classic cyberpunk in many ways than feminist cyberpunk ever was even in the ‘90s. While it does slightly touch upon real-life issues, it refrains from backing up its own controversial statements, and towards the latter part of the work, evacuates itself entirely from such concerns and is solely focused upon the primary thriller plot. Perhaps Philip K. Dick, I think in retrospect, did a far better work in The Divine Invasion in terms of holding on the readers’ interest.
November 5, 2012
'Archangel Protocol' is Lyda Morehouse's first novel and it is a commendable effort that few wanna-be-writers accomplish. I won't mention any names.
The story centers around a never seen in the flesh U.S. presidential candidate in a post war America where all parties must have a religious affiliation, where all citizens are connected to cyberspace by an implanted link and where recently, 'angels' have begun making appearances.
The author's metaphors always were just a smidgen off the mark. Her descriptions rarely left me with the feeling that I was there, although she did chose one of the very hardest destinations possible: Cyberspace, where, like the movie Tron, characters found themselves wandering cyberspace represented by an avatar. And try as she might to get the reader to gin up affections for her people, well it just did not happen.
Reading 'Archangel Protocol' Christians will be surprised to learn an angel impregnated Mary, mother of Jesus, rather than the Holy Spirit. Muslims will likewise be startled to read that Allah did not dictate the Quran to Mohammad, but the angel Jibril did. Yes, I know it is a work of fiction.
Once again, what may have dulled my reading enjoyment, was the fact that I read the book a very few pages at a time. However, I think the author simply had too many things going on, too many plots, too many characters for someone like me to keep track of.
The story centers around a never seen in the flesh U.S. presidential candidate in a post war America where all parties must have a religious affiliation, where all citizens are connected to cyberspace by an implanted link and where recently, 'angels' have begun making appearances.
The author's metaphors always were just a smidgen off the mark. Her descriptions rarely left me with the feeling that I was there, although she did chose one of the very hardest destinations possible: Cyberspace, where, like the movie Tron, characters found themselves wandering cyberspace represented by an avatar. And try as she might to get the reader to gin up affections for her people, well it just did not happen.
Reading 'Archangel Protocol' Christians will be surprised to learn an angel impregnated Mary, mother of Jesus, rather than the Holy Spirit. Muslims will likewise be startled to read that Allah did not dictate the Quran to Mohammad, but the angel Jibril did. Yes, I know it is a work of fiction.
Once again, what may have dulled my reading enjoyment, was the fact that I read the book a very few pages at a time. However, I think the author simply had too many things going on, too many plots, too many characters for someone like me to keep track of.
November 13, 2009
Imagine cyberpunk meets “A Handmaid’s Tale”. Fundamentalism juxtaposed with virtual reality. That gives you an idea of the world depicted in Archangel Protocol. Deidre McMannus ex-cop, has been excommunicated from the Catholic Church for her association with her partner who has been found guilty of murdering the Pope. This leaves her on the fringes of a society in which membership in an organized religion is a requirement for the full benefits of citizenship, including being connected to the LINK, an implanted, interactive network. Lately angels have been appearing on the LINK, which some claim heralds the Second Coming, namely a vocally right-wing presidential candidate. In this setting, a stranger appears at McMannus’s detective office, asking her help to debunk the angels.
I found this to be a riveting adventure, set in a creatively portrayed world. I wish, however that the author had included some kind of reference guide at the end of the book, as their are many concepts which are unclear. It got rather confusing around the middle of the book, but if you are patient, it gets clearer towards the end. Morehouse does include various “news articles” at the end of each chapter, which make help the reader piece together the puzzle.
I found this to be a riveting adventure, set in a creatively portrayed world. I wish, however that the author had included some kind of reference guide at the end of the book, as their are many concepts which are unclear. It got rather confusing around the middle of the book, but if you are patient, it gets clearer towards the end. Morehouse does include various “news articles” at the end of each chapter, which make help the reader piece together the puzzle.
April 4, 2012
This is a Science Fiction novel set in a near future, after an undefined war, in a United States that is now ruled by the religious right. It is a first-person narrative in the private-eye genre, except that this PI is a woman.
Although technology/science is generally distrusted in this era, everyone (except the very poor and a few non-conformists) is directly wired (literally) into the LINK, which something like the internet on steroids. The heroine is an ex-cop who has been excommunicated and lost her access to the LINK because her ex-partner assassinated the Pope. She is asked to help prove that the "archangels" that have recently been appearing to people on the LINK are phonies and to prevent the election to President of a man who claims to be the Messiah/2nd Coming of Jesus. (Reading during the 2012 Presidential election campaign added a bit of extra interest.)
The writer's style is engaging, his heroine is likable and appealing, and the situation is interesting, to say the least, if hard to really believe possible. My main complaint is that the book has a rather weak ending, leaving some things unresolved.
Although technology/science is generally distrusted in this era, everyone (except the very poor and a few non-conformists) is directly wired (literally) into the LINK, which something like the internet on steroids. The heroine is an ex-cop who has been excommunicated and lost her access to the LINK because her ex-partner assassinated the Pope. She is asked to help prove that the "archangels" that have recently been appearing to people on the LINK are phonies and to prevent the election to President of a man who claims to be the Messiah/2nd Coming of Jesus. (Reading during the 2012 Presidential election campaign added a bit of extra interest.)
The writer's style is engaging, his heroine is likable and appealing, and the situation is interesting, to say the least, if hard to really believe possible. My main complaint is that the book has a rather weak ending, leaving some things unresolved.
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