Friday, December 17, 2004
Angel-Seeker by Sharon Shinn
Angel-Seeker is part of the Samaria series by Sharon Shinn. Peace seekers landed on an environmentally hostile planet and set up a religion and government which depend on genetically modified "Angels" who communicate with the ship which is still in orbit.
Angel-seekers are a kind of groupie; they seek out angels and attempt to become pregnant. An angel baby (rather than a plain human baby) brings prestige and lifelong care for its mother.
I thought that the angel-seeker thread of the book was the weakest, well the second weakest. The strongest thread is about the Jansai tribe. The Jansai had been slave owners but have recently been forced to give up that income. The Jansai also restrict their women in property, power, against outside contact at all, and from the sight of men outside their family - there is a strong shariah like law that mandates outcasting or death for women who have contact with men outside of family and marriage. Rebekah is a bored Jansai young woman who finds a male angel in the desert and gives him lifesaving help. Both lives are changed through this contact.
Angel-seekers are a kind of groupie; they seek out angels and attempt to become pregnant. An angel baby (rather than a plain human baby) brings prestige and lifelong care for its mother.
I thought that the angel-seeker thread of the book was the weakest, well the second weakest. The strongest thread is about the Jansai tribe. The Jansai had been slave owners but have recently been forced to give up that income. The Jansai also restrict their women in property, power, against outside contact at all, and from the sight of men outside their family - there is a strong shariah like law that mandates outcasting or death for women who have contact with men outside of family and marriage. Rebekah is a bored Jansai young woman who finds a male angel in the desert and gives him lifesaving help. Both lives are changed through this contact.
# posted by JJ @ 6:57 PM 
