angel 1089Rating: 4.25 stars
Buy Link:
Amazon | iBooks | Amazon UK
Length: Novel


Gabriel 1089 is an angel solider for Heaven Corp and his only purpose is to fight against the demons who attack the uplevels. But during a fight, Gabriel is taken hostage. He loses a wing and he’s brought to Jeff Werth.

Jeff owns and runs a junkyard, is a master at all things mechanical and technological, and owes a huge debt to the demons. When they bring him an angel, he does what they ask. As Jeff helps Gabe recover, he keeps the truth about how Gabe came to be with him a secret.

Gabe’s memories of his previous life are returning, and in the wake, Gabe realizes just how sinister Heaven Corps motivations are. But before he can do anything, he’s kidnapped once again. Only then does he learn about Jeff’s secret. But he’s fallen in love with Jeff and with the downside, and he knows where he wants to make his home. If he can survive the battle between angels and demons, that is.

Futuristic story? Cybernetic implants and technology? Angels and demons? Yes please. As soon as I read the blurb on this one, I knew this story was right up my alley. I love a good sci fi world and I was anxious to see what this book was all about.

The world building here is layered and detailed, and I loved every second of it. After a series of huge natural disasters, the world has fallen into disarray, but one technology company, Heaven Corp, has managed to rise above the rest. Two hundred years later, Heaven Corp is one of three major company that rule the uplevels, but on the downside (Earth) it’s a cesspool. People are struggling just to survive and the demons hold all the power. Technology is at a premium and cybernetics is the name of the game. I loved the way Bridges managed to convey all this information and it’s expertly interwoven into the story. It was a fascinating world, richly developed, where each piece worked seamlessly with the rest. The world building in this story was its shining accomplishment.

The characters were well drawn as well. Gabriel has been brainwashed to a degree, and he has to fight to recover his own mind. Not only that, but his world has been disordered and he has to sort through everything to find out what he believes and search for his own truth. I liked his progression, and really enjoyed watching him come into his own.

Jeff is in an untenable position and I think any parent would make the same decisions he did. What I really enjoyed about him was that underneath everything, he had a huge heart and a kindness that really layered his character. No, the decisions he made weren’t always the best, but he was doing the best he could. His flaws added another dimension to him that really fleshed out his character. And his chemistry with Gabe sparked and simmered, adding even more to the story. Their relationship was believable and I liked watching them come together.

The plot was well paced and, combined with the detailed and smooth writing, made for an easy read. I will say here, though, that the basic plot was a little bit predictable, and that worked against the story for me some. While the world building and characters elevated this story for me, I would have liked to see the plot take some major exciting twist. But that didn’t happen here. Though well done, the basic story underneath left something to be desired for me.

But I still have no qualms recommending this book to you. There’s so much about it that works, especially in a genre that doesn’t have enough well detailed and amazing sci fi stories. If you’re looking for one, then look no further than Angel 1089.

A review copy of this book was provided by Dreamspinner Press.

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