The AngeLINK tetrology by Lyda Morehouse

Archangel Protocol, Fallen Host, Messiah Node and Apocalypse Array

 

In the future nearly every government on the planet is a theocracy and secularism is either strongly discouraged or outright illegal. The LINK, a cybernetic information super-highway, connects people all over the world via a node under the user’s skin. All commerce, currency, communication – pretty much anything you can think of – takes place on the LINK. Access to the link is restricted to those who can prove they are dues paying members in good standing of a recognized religion. No Religion, No LINK. And no LINK means being disenfranchised, living on the outskirts of society. 

 

Angels are on the LINK, possible messiahs are on every corner, several of the world’s major theocracies are on the brink of war, and the Devil is looking for his antichrist. It seems definite that the end times have come. But all hope is not lost. While Morningstar prepares for his ultimate battle with Heaven a host of angels and mortals are working to prevent the apocalypse. Will they succeed?

***

 

Not the greatest recap of books I’ve ever done but I am seriously having trouble coming up with anything that is not spoiler city. What I can say is that these books are heavy on the cyberpunk but one doesn’t have to be a diehard techie to understand them. The LINK is like the Internet on steroids taken to the nth power but accessible to the non-SF reader. And while religion plays a very major role in these novels these are not “religious” books. Or at least I didn’t feel like I was being preached to in any way. In fact there are many of the worlds major religions represented including Buddhism and Shinto along with the biggies of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.  

Morehouse has built an amazing world here and is telling an even more amazing story. The world, with its blend theocracy and tech, may be a fantasy world but it resonates so much with what is going on in the real world right now that one can see it becoming a possible reality. And while the story takes a fairly heady subject, the end of the world, as its premise it is at its core really a story about love, redemption and the meaning of humanity. Not that those aren’t heady subjects in and of themselves.  

I finished the last book Saturday night and despite already starting a new book I keep finding myself thinking about these four, especially Fallen Host and Messiah Node. IMHO these are the best books of the series, full of action that really propels the plot forward. That is not to say that the other two books are not good – they are! I will admit that when I first read book one, Archangel Protocol, I liked it but it didn’t really WOW me, you know? It was good enough that I wanted to read the rest of the series but it lacked that something that made me start the next book immediately. After much thought I’ve determined that while I fell in loved the world and some of the characters the POV character in book one didn’t do much for me. YMMV. The rest of the books definitely hit the WOW button for me though. As soon as I finished Fallen Host I had to start Messiah Node, despite needing to go to bed since I had to work the next day. Any chance I got, I was reading because I just had to know what happened next! At the same time I kept trying to slow myself down because I didn’t want these books to end. That, my friends, is always the sign of a great read.   

And Morehouse has created some amazing characters. I want to sit down with Page to discuss philosophy over a cup of tea; join the Dragon on a stroll through the LINK and just breathe in every new experience; thrown back some beers and shoot the shit with Morningstar. And can I admit that I’m just a little bit in love with Mouse? 

So, my recommendation is to give these books a shot even if you aren’t normally a fan of the genre. 

Now I know these books are out of print but Morehouse has informed me that you can get them at http://www.dreamhavenbooks.com/ and http://www.unclehugo.com/prod/ so no excuses! 

 

Disclaimer: Yes, I know that Lyda Morehouse is on my f-list and has commented on my blog. That is not why I’m giving these books a read recommendation. One, we just added each other Friday after I’d already mentioned her books something like three times. Two, I give my recommendation (or not) based on my reading experience not based on who is on my f-list.