Rating: 
Summary: absorbing -- read it
Review: If you liked Jaran, you'll love this plot. More important, reading this book made me realize how many books I've read in the past few years that bored me, at least a little. This is a "page turner" and worth several reads
Rating:
Summary: I loved it! It combined my three favorite areas of interest.
Review: The premise of this book is unique. It takes place in an Earth colony on another planet. The colony has existed for 1,000 years, and they do not know that the "god" they worship is really an orbiting satellite, one that is rigged to destroy their world if they do not succeed at living in harmony. Their society is structured around angels--real physical beings with wings and gorgeous voices. The book contains the classic struggle between good and evil, plus a passionate and unusual romance. There are also many well-thought-out and original details that make this world come to life, in the manner of Tolkien. The emotional and inner life of the characters is compelling, and rings true. I eagerly await another book about this world from the author. (Please, Sharon!
Rating:
Summary: A compelling & original setting with a delightful romance.
Review: The story in and of itself pulls you right in to another culture made up of angels, gypsies and people like you and me. The people are believable, the concepts are intriguing and the romance threads it's way like a beautiful tapestry. Each person is named after a person in the Old Testament, angels intercede during droughts and priests commune with Jehovah through mystical "interfaces" for guidance. The characters and their struggles are archetypal and speak to each person in a unique way
Rating:
Summary: A unique experience
Review: This tale set in the planet of Samaria brings the reader into a world we only visit in our dreams. It is a world in which angels and humans co-exist. In Samaria we glimpse the relationships that they form. Relationships that are both dynamic and very human. The angels of Samaria are not heavenly beings, but people just the same. The very human relationship between Gabriel and Rachel, one everyone should read about.
Rating: 
Summary: Just a romance.
Review: If you take "Gone With the Wind," strap some big angel wings on Rhett Butler's back, and reverse Scarlett's economic timeline (poor to rich instead of rich to poor), you've got the basic jist of this book. Any remotely new idea in this book merely serves as a plot device to fuel the cliche romance that is the real heart of this book. If you read speculative fiction for new ideas to fuel your imagination, you'll probably be disappointed. If, however, you're a big fan of romance novels, you might well love this book
Rating:
Summary: A fascinating book with original characters and societies
Review: This is the fist book of Ms. Shinn's that I have read and I thoughroughly enjoyed it. I picked it up after seeing Robin McKinley's name mentioned in comparison. Their styles are different but the outcome is the same - a wonderfully satisfying book well worth the read.
In fact I was literally unable to put it down. I read it in one fell swoop staying up till 4:30 A. M. to finish it, consequently getting only an hour and a half of sleep! Ms. Shinn does an amazing job with her character design and script, somehow keeing what one supposes to be predictable situations fresh and new, not giving in to the road most traveled and instead leading off on a most enjoyable journey. The interaction between characters and social groups held my interest and never turned dull, predictable or sacharine as many books do. I applaud ms. Shinn's accomplishment and look forward to reading her next novel dealing with the Archangels and their angelica.
Rating:
Summary: Shinn's Archangel very enjoyable - looking forward to more
Review: As far as I can tell, this is Sharon Shinn's second published
novel. Wow. Her first, The Shape-Changer's Wife, was a good
read, but if her books keep improving in the future as they
did between her first and second, we are all in for some
exceptionally fine reading. The only other authors I can think
of that have impressed me this much this early in their
mass-market careers have been Ellen Kushner, Guy Kay, and
Eleanor Arnason.
I won't try to summarize the plot, or spoil anyone else's introduction to her cast of characters. The plot is very well thought-out
and very well executed. The main characters are fully-formed.
As in any well-thought out plot, the reader can enjoy it, and interpret it,
on several levels. This is not to say that the author necessarily intended
for this to be some sort of multi-level allegory. Rather, a measure of a plot's
richness is how many different ways the reader(s) can identify with it.
Apparently, a sequel is in the works. I wonder if Shinn will do something
similar to what Will Shetterly did with "Cats Have No Lords" and "The Tangled
Lands" - write a sequel which forces the reader to completely re-interpret
the events of the first book. If done properly, this can be
very enjoyable, and Shinn has provided herself some exceptional material
to work with.
Rating:
Summary: "And He shall give His angels charge over thee ..."
Review: I read this book in two days; it has been many years since
such a thing occurred in my life. I had even despaired that there were no more good tales out there to be told. This is most assuredly one of them.
The melding of angel & mortal, in the face of faith versus unbelief, lifted my spirits. The characters were so real to me, I was near to tears by the end of the book. I did not want to leave them; they had become as real to me as true friends. The story is one of adventure & betrayal & eventually right overcoming wrong. But along the way, like any good story, there is much to be seen & tasted & felt.
I look forward to "Jovah's Angel" with great anticipation!
Rating:
Summary: An Excellent Tale
Review: This book was a difficult one to put down! The premise of
the society being based on Biblical myth and traditions is
intriguing and captivating. But, introducing corruption and
evil into the system tests the faith and beliefs of the
humans, merchants, slaves and angels as their very lives
hang in the balance, dependent on the untested singing
talent of a very defiant and willful slave girl named
Rachel. I HIGHLY recommend this book. I hope that Shinn
continues this storyline!
Rating:
Summary: I Love the Angel World!
Review: I love unusual angel world, the religious and social analogies and the romantic story between Rachel and Gabriel and secondary characters. It is one of those excellently-written, "can't put it down" type of books. My only 2 complaints are very small: I wish Rachel had not been so angry at Gabriel all the time. But if not that, then I wish the ending had been extended another page or two or that there had been an epilogue. If you like this, read her short story in "To Weave a Web of Magic." Gabriel is in that one, too, so it is the closest to an epilogue we will get, I think. I look forward to reading the other books about this world, but first, I need something a little lighter and mindless....
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