Archangel protocol

This was a ridiculous crossing of genres. At times it was a noir detective novel, but set in a near-ish future USA where a brain-implant-accessible internet/VR exists, but also where religion is so ingrained into our culture and society that it's illegal to not have a registered organized religion with the government. As if all that wasn't enough, (I'll admit if that was the extent of the weirdness, I'd definitely be intrigued), angels – as in messengers from god – are real.

I think the angel thing is what tipped it from "an intriguing sci-fi premise" into "annoying urban fantasy" for me. There are a lot of threads un-pulled here, and plot holes as big as the biggest ones in the bible. I thought the main character was so full of hypocrisy that it was incredibly hard for me to empathize with her.

The fact that this is a local author, and recommended by a friend of mine, kept me reading to the end. I even bought used copies of the two sequels to this book, but I can't see myself reading them any time soon. Maybe I'll keep them on my shelf to maybe read them... someday.

Added 2023-07-19: I think I was a bit harsh in my review. There is a lot to like about this book! The GLBT representation in particular is well done, especially considering its publication date from over 20 years ago. I was musing a bit, and if you removed the "angels are real" business, I actually do think this would be a fun book. I still probably wouldn't like the protagonist much, but that's not unusual for a lot of PI/detective/noir stuff for me.

First published in 2001, Archangel Protocol has been brought back to life through the existence of a pirated electronic text. It’s now legally available through outlets such as Wizards Tower Books.

That techno wizardry of some description was involved in the salvage of Morehouse’s text is somewhat ironic given the post-apocalyptic tale that she gives us with the Archangel Protocol. Morehouse delivers a solid tale that has aged remarkably well.

  It’s largely detective fiction set in a hyper connected world living on after a third world war.  It draws strongly on cyberpunk themes( and I would probably classify it as such) – a hyper connected world, avatars running around in cyberspace, hackers etc., but also serves up some interesting ideas and commentary on religion and politics in an American context.

Morehouse’s vision of the future, its politics and the state of religions affairs, is plausible fresh and certainly still relevant 13 years on.  Even the technology, or more precisely the way social media is presented in the book doesn’t miss the mark by all that much.

Where it came a little unstuck for me was in the religious plot.  This is more a personal issue for me and not any real reflection on the author. Give me witch kings and wizards and I have no problem suspending my disbelief, the minute we start talking angels in a theological  sense and including them in a story I begin to lose interest.  Perhaps it’s because I view Archangel Protocol as more science fiction than fantasy, because the “world” is closer to our own, that I have a mental speed bump here.

That being said the metaphysical content in the book is fairly ecumenical, the thrust very liberal – the way I prefer my religions to be.

Another good point is its treatment of gay and transgender characters, the world may be harsh to those living outside the very strictly defined norm, but Morehouse presents sympathetic and strong characters from these minority groups. 

If you pine for cyberpunk but want to leave behind the mirror shades and the 1980’s then took a look at Archangel Protocol, I enjoyed the reading despite the speed bump. Would I read more Morehouse? Definitely.

This book was provided by Wizards Tower Books free of charge.