This stand-alone sequel follows Sharon Stinn's other "Angel" books, Archangel and Jovah's Angel in a series reminiscent of Orson Scott Card's Homecoming in tone and structure. Shinn did some interesting world-building here, and The Alleluia Files takes a close look at the history, progress, and society of Samaria.
Samaria was colonized long ago as a religious utopia. An orbiting satellite doubles as a god; people have worshipped and succored it for centuries. A class system developed due to the existence of genetically engineered "angels" who can fly and communicate with the satellite by singing, and who often lord it over the regular folks.
Tamar is the child of rebellious cultists, raised in the heretical belief that Jovah isn't a god, but merely a technical device set up by ancestors long ago to control weather and events on Samaria. The rebel group is in retreat, with the Archangel Bael on a rampage to capture and kill off as many cultists as possible. Tamar is determined to avenge her friends and family, to free Samaria from the double stranglehold of angelic power and peoples' fear of the "god." Tamar meets Jared, an open-minded angel willing to help her on her quest, and the two disparate young people form an uneasy alliance.
Likable characters, a thoroughly realized setting, and a sense of discovery make The Alleluia Files an enjoyable science fiction tale. --Bonnie Bouman--
Book Description
Legend has it that the Alleluia Files contain the truth about the god of Samaria. Now, a child raised in captivity among the angels will journey the length and breadth of her world to seek the documents that will alter the face of Samaria forever...
"A warm and triumphant close to Shinn's Samaria trilogy."--Publishers Weekly
"The most promising and original writer of fantasy to come along since Robin McKinley."--Peter S. Beagle, author of The Last Unicorn
"Triumphant."--Publishers Weekly
"Inventive and compelling."--Library Journal
"Each of these books is better than the last."--St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Alleluia Files FROM THE PUBLISHER
It has been one hundred years since the Archangel Alleluia and the mortal Caleb discovered the truth about the god of Samaria. Legend says that they left a record of that truth, though no document has ever been found. In time, an underground cult arose, seeking to find again what Alleluia found. But the reigning Archangel Bael called down the wrath of Jovah upon the cult, and hundreds died in a hail of thunderbolts. Yet some still survive... Among them is the woman Tamar, child of cultists, raised in captivity among the angels. Tamar believes that the Alleluia Files - the actual disc on which the legendary Archangel recorded her experience - exist. She is determined to find it, and free the people of Samaria from their fear of Jovah, and the rule of the angels.
FROM THE CRITICS
VOYA - Kellie Shoemaker
One hundred years have passed since Alleluia and Caleb discovered the secret about Jovah, the god who watches over Samaria, and a new archangel is now in charge of the country. Archangel Bael has no patience for the Jacobites, a band of renegades who believe that Jovah is a spaceship programmed to respond to the petitions of the angels. According to legend, the Alleluia Files possess the proof the Jacobites need to defend themselves, but they have no idea where or even what the files are. When an angel named Jared crosses paths with Tamar, a Jacobite, the two fall in love. Jared helps Tamar's group search for the files, knowing the risks and dangers associated with betraying his own beliefs. When the first two books are as good as Archangel (Ace, 1996) and Jovah's Angel (Ace, 1997), the third in a series has a tough act to follow. Fortunately, The Alleluia Files is every bit as intriguing and satisfying as its predecessors. Shinn poses some difficult questions about religion and faith that are not easily answered in their world-or ours. The plot may not be as compelling as the first two titles, but the romance is strong and the tension builds with a momentum to rival any soap opera. This title is a must for any library owning the first two and an excuse to get the others if you have not already done so. VOYA Codes: 4Q 3P J S (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses, Will appeal with pushing, Junior High-defined as grades 7 to 9 and Senior High-defined as grades 10 to 12).
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