![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
marycatelliArchangel by Sharon Shinn
Anyone interested in religion in world-building should read this book.
We have a world where the religion's "miracles" are clearly technological driven wonders that keep the theocratic government in place.
And the theocrats are the good guys.
Anyway, Gabriel, who is about to become Archangel, has come to the oracle to learn who is his bride, the angelica who must sing the Gloria with him in six months time -- or the angry Jovah will smite the mountain with lightning. Learning that she is a farmer's daughter is surprise enough. Tracking down her family's farm and discovering it in ruins is rather worse, as he has only months and no notion where to be.
Meanwhile, Rachel, miserable in slavery in the city, helps the young and timid bride with her clothing for the wedding festivities, and the bride thinks -- I will ask for my wedding present -- you! Then I will free you and pay you lots of money to work for me!
Gabriel is invited to this wedding and needs to attend. Which is how he finds his bride, Rachel. Who is -- not pleased (especially now that she would have been free anyway) but is nevertheless swept off to the Eyrie to become his bride.
And the current Archangel Raphael broadly intimidates to Gabriel that she's unacceptable and that he should be following in Raphael's footsteps no matter what he thinks of them. . . .
Action! Adventure! Lightning! Tempestuous romance!
Anyone interested in religion in world-building should read this book.
We have a world where the religion's "miracles" are clearly technological driven wonders that keep the theocratic government in place.
And the theocrats are the good guys.
Anyway, Gabriel, who is about to become Archangel, has come to the oracle to learn who is his bride, the angelica who must sing the Gloria with him in six months time -- or the angry Jovah will smite the mountain with lightning. Learning that she is a farmer's daughter is surprise enough. Tracking down her family's farm and discovering it in ruins is rather worse, as he has only months and no notion where to be.
Meanwhile, Rachel, miserable in slavery in the city, helps the young and timid bride with her clothing for the wedding festivities, and the bride thinks -- I will ask for my wedding present -- you! Then I will free you and pay you lots of money to work for me!
Gabriel is invited to this wedding and needs to attend. Which is how he finds his bride, Rachel. Who is -- not pleased (especially now that she would have been free anyway) but is nevertheless swept off to the Eyrie to become his bride.
And the current Archangel Raphael broadly intimidates to Gabriel that she's unacceptable and that he should be following in Raphael's footsteps no matter what he thinks of them. . . .
Action! Adventure! Lightning! Tempestuous romance!