Archangel Protocol by Lyda Morehouse

This is the greatest series no one is reading. In an age that seems obsessed with the Apocalypse, or some other way in which the world as we know it ends, this book depicts a world that seems penned by Revelations. It is, either naturally or surprisingly, more interesting and surprising than any other Bible-versed author would ever write. Morehouse obviously is very Bible-literate, and she turns this knowledge on its head, producing a cyberpunk novel that leaves all other end-of-the-world premises in the dust. She is a worthy addition to the likes of Gibson and Stephenson. This book series is fabulous (and unlike some other authors I could name, it gets BETTER with each addition), and should be read by any fan of Sci-fi or any sort of fun, speculative fiction.

Archangel Protocol is a fast-paced, science fiction fantasy hybrid with a noir cyberpunk flavor. Because it touches on so many genres and sub genres, as well as the subject of the fate of humanity, there really is something for everyone in this book. Lyda Morehouse has developed a cast of wonderfully believable and fascinating characters, complete with goals, dreams, and, most importantly, flaws. Unlike some books with many key characters, the protagonist is well developed and likable, rather than simply relying on those in supporting roles to inspire interest and sympathy. The world has a complex history and political system, all of which have been built without an excess of techno garbage usually associated with cyberpunk. The new and unfamiliar is explained smoothly and succinctly, keeping the story from getting bogged down in definitions and description. The pace of the story complements the rapidly unfolding plot, making it an extremely tough book to put down. There are moments of beautiful imagery, giving the reader a vision of this future world and the people who live within it. It is a world which I hope to be able to visit again, and I strongly look forward to reading this author's next book.

Dig it: In the future, everyone has an implanted, interactive computer, here called the LINK. Yeah, yeah, the same Cyberpunk crap you've read a million times before about the honorable ronin hacker taking on the Corporation. Only this time, it isn't. In Lyda Morehouse's new book, "The Archangel Protocol," the LINK quickly becomes the domain of religion, after the Net Angels appear, claiming to work the will of God and with the power to back it up. Now the US is on the verge of becoming an official theocracy, and everybody's a believer. Ex-cop Deidre MacMannus used to be a believer. Then she and her partner got framed for an assassination attempt on the Pope, and her LINK was severed, cutting her off from almost all forms of modern communication. Living as an outcast, excommunicated from both Church and State, MacMannus scavenges a living as a detective until a stranger comes to her office, offering her a chance to find out what's really been going on behind the digital curtain. All this could easily degenerate into the latest made-for-suburbs technothriller about the cool toys and MIBs, but Morehouse knows her story is about the human element, and the world those humans (and inhumans) inhabit. Great first book.