Present Books In Pursuance Of Angel-Seeker (Samaria #5)
| Original Title: | Angel-Seeker |
| ISBN: | 0441012604 (ISBN13: 9780441012602) |
| Edition Language: | English |
| Series: | Samaria #5, Samaria Chronological Order #3 |
Sharon Shinn
Mass Market Paperback | Pages: 512 pages Rating: 3.92 | 3176 Users | 131 Reviews
Specify Of Books Angel-Seeker (Samaria #5)
| Title | : | Angel-Seeker (Samaria #5) |
| Author | : | Sharon Shinn |
| Book Format | : | Mass Market Paperback |
| Book Edition | : | Deluxe Edition |
| Pages | : | Pages: 512 pages |
| Published | : | February 22nd 2005 by Ace (first published 2004) |
| Categories | : | Fantasy. Science Fiction. Romance. Paranormal. Angels. Fiction |
Narrative In Favor Of Books Angel-Seeker (Samaria #5)
This is a somewhat disjointed romantic fantasy set after the events of Archangel. There are two main plots. Each has interesting moments, but they're barely connected. That makes the jump back in time that Shinn often does when shifting between perspectives seem even more jarring than it usually is in this series. One story is about a formerly wealthy young woman who wants to reclaim her earlier lifestyle by trying to bear an angel's child. The other is about an isolated Jansai whose chance encounter with an angel helps her realize how dissatisfied she is with her oppressive culture. This book deals more with the Jansai than any of the previous ones, and I was looking forward to learning about their secretive lives. I hoped that they would end up being somewhat different from the way the other cultures view them, just as the angels and Edori aren't well understood by those who have had little contact with them. Unfortunately there is no nuance to their portrayal, Shinn is determined to have them remain flat villains. All adult Jansai men are varying degrees of bad, and none have a problem with unthinkable brutality. One teenager shows compassion, but does so in a cowardly way that wouldn't have really helped without a stroke of luck. I hoped that the women would at least show some subtle forms of power and control in their own homes, but they're rigid, complacent, and casually abusive. One older woman was sympathetic, and several tried to finally take action at the end. But of course their attempts had to fail so that the helpless girl could be dramatically rescued. A lot of my problems with the presentation of the Jansai could have been redeemed if they hadn't all been evil, weak, or ineffective. Even the heroine wasn't very admirable. She faced danger (one that she showed no signs of understanding) for love, but could not be motivated to really do anything for herself. I kept hoping for the characters to come across a large-scale underground culture of subversive women, or a small mixed-gender group that smuggled "wayward" girls to safety. But instead, angels had to save the girl and scold the backwards culture. Everything came out okay thanks to a touch of luck and a strong-willed woman who was traveling with Edori (but not one of them). Again.Rating Of Books Angel-Seeker (Samaria #5)
Ratings: 3.92 From 3176 Users | 131 ReviewsAssess Of Books Angel-Seeker (Samaria #5)
Samaria SeriesIf all romance books were like these, I might consider myself to be a fan of romance novels in general.The 'Samaria' series is primarily romance - but it's balanced with enough other plot elements that it doesn't get too tedious. They're even frequently... romantic!... in a way that doesn't (usually) make me want to strangle the characters! (They're never explicit/erotic, though.)I did read all five books back-to-back, which meant that some of the elements did get a littleI didn't intend to finish Angel-Seeker today, but certain situations in the story escalated and I had to know how they resolved. Rebekah's whole situation, even without her secret affair with Obadiah, was incredibly stressful and frustrating. I kept waiting for bad stuff to happen, which of course it did. Fortunately certain scenes were not too drawn out, though they were awful, and I wanted to kill Hali. The showdown between Gabriel and Uriah worked, (view spoiler)[but I would have liked more a
This is a somewhat disjointed romantic fantasy set after the events of Archangel.There are two main plots. Each has interesting moments, but they're barely connected. That makes the jump back in time that Shinn often does when shifting between perspectives seem even more jarring than it usually is in this series.One story is about a formerly wealthy young woman who wants to reclaim her earlier lifestyle by trying to bear an angel's child. The other is about an isolated Jansai whose chance
Of the Samaria books this one is most easily read as a standalone as the action and romance mostly isn't connected to the larger worldbuilding that is going on in this series.This tells the story of two very different women: Elizabeth - a young woman who dreams of nothing more than finding an angel-lover and carrying his angelic offspring. And Rebekah - a young Jansai woman, who has her life planned out for her by the males in her family and grudgingly accepts this. Until she finds a wounded
An enjoyable read. I like Elizabeth (and I like that her story (view spoiler)[leads her away from the angels to someone who loves her (hide spoiler)]) and I like Rebekah, although I really don't like the Jansai.
The stories of an angel-seeker and a Jansai girl explore the forgotten corners of Samaria's worldbuilding. Insofar as Shinn's worldlbuilding draws from real world cultures, the social politics of these books is sometimes simplistic and never perfect; to explore the smaller, gendered aspects of the world brings some welcome depth but also runs directly into those limitations. It succeeds on the whole, mostly because the characters and central romance are sympathetic--the latter has some of the
Set directly after the events in Archangel, Angel-Seeker deals with three main narratives:Elizabeth - a spoiled rich brat who has lived in her cousin's house as a servant since her parents' disgrace and deaths. Looking to return to her life of ease, she sets out to bear an angel child (a rare, but highly sought after position), no matter the cost. Rebekah - a veiled girl living in utter seclusion, under a ruthless patriarchal society. Although feeling repressed and pushing the boundaries of her
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