Reviews:
Fallen Host Reviews
Cover blurb: An A.I. who dreams of Mecca...
Page, a sentient electronic creation, is alone and coming undone. His identity and purpose are becoming clouded. His questions about his soul left unanswered. A warrior of God facing temptation...
Emmaline, Inquisitor for the Pope, has flown to New York on an extraordinary mission: to verify the existence of souls in the world's two known A.I.s. A fallen angel ready to settle things once and for all...
After news of the impending Second Coming, Morningstar, a rebel to his Maker, embarks on a journey to hunt down his destiny. Three participants engaged in a race for their own personal truth, linked in ways they can not begin to comprehend... until the final, terrible day of revlation. ISBN: 0-451-45879-6 Featured Review: Booklist: Morehouse follows the well-regarded Archangel Protocol (2001) with another cheeky send-up of apocalyptic Christianity (and Islam). As it opens, the fallen angel known as Morningstar comes to terms with Gabriel over what may be an impending battle. Certainly, the signs are right: human consciousness has merged electronically through the "Link," and religious affiliation--except in a newly resurgent, proudly atheist Russia--is mandatory. In Muslim countries the Koran is the law. Morningstar goes in search of an Antichrist even as the pope's emissary, American monsignor Emmaline McNaughten, tries to determine whether the world's two prime artificial intelligences, a male entity named Page and his female counterpart, the Dragon, have souls. Armageddon, sort of, looms, with Page holding the key to humanity's salvation. Page may be an Antichrist, for he is in rebellion against Mouse, his "Father." On the other hand, Mouse, inventor of the Link, is hardly divine. Many readers will cheer on this fast-paced, often abrasive satire as an alternative to the interminable Left Behind series. John Mort Reviews in Alphabetical Order Alien Online by Vegar Holmen:
From the review: "Once again the author manages to create a blend of science fiction, advanced technology, theological ideas, and romance which is well worth a read. ...It's hard to pinpoint exactly which genre this book falls into, the author herself calls it future fantasy..." Go check it out, Vegar clearly GOT what I was doing with Fallen Host. All About Romance by Rachel Potter. And so the debate about Fallen Host continues... It seems people either really like this book or REALLY HATE IT. Rachel falls into the camp of the latter. This is a fun read, honestly. Rachel has a LOT of objections to my book. My favorite is when she says, "If Morningstar and Emmaline were the villains of this book, their unattractive traits would be understandable, and perhaps enjoyable. But they are the protagonists! [emphasis hers] Is the reader supposed to sympathize with their self-centered pursuits?" The March 2003 (#91) issue of Emerald City has a great review of Fallen Host called Apocalypse Now GLBT Fantasy Fiction Resources by Finder "The world continues its march toward Armageddon as we get a glimpse into the minds of not only an Artificial Intelligence program and a Vatican Inquisitor, but Satan himself... Toward the end, I literally couldn't put it down." KLIATT: In the future, governments become theocracies, with the populace required to affiliate with a faith in order to be considered citizens. Only citizens have access to the LINK, a complete network into which people are physically linked with implants. As one might expect, an alternative exists for the disenfranchised, called mouse.net, created by a programmer who calls himself Mouse. Mouse has also created an electronic entity called Page that seems to have taken on a personality and autonomy. Enter Emmaline, an Inquisitor charged by the Pope to determine whether artificial intelligences have souls. In her quest, Emmaline encounters Morningstar, a fallen angel (yes, that one) who has a mission of his own. Morehouse depicts a world on edge in her fast-paced, thought-provoking narrative, with fully realized characters. The viewpoints shift between Page, Emmaline and Morningstar, and through this device the plot becomes more multidimensional. Although a sequel to a previous novel, Archangel Protocol, the title stands alone well. Library Journal: Within the network known as the LINK, the A.I. (artificial intelligence) that calls itself Page dreams of Mecca and struggles to discover the purpose of his existence. As Catholic priest and Vatican Inquisitor Emmaline McNaughten receives the dubious assignment of determining whether an A.I. possesses a soul, Morningstar, a fallen angel, searches the world for evidence of the antichrist. Set in a near-future of political chaos and technological tyranny, this tale of self-discovery and redemption by the author of Archangel Protocol intermingles metaphysical speculation, hard science, and sf intrigue with complex characters and a fast-paced plot. A good choice for most sf collections. LOCUS: Fallen Host was reviewed in the Short Reviews by Carolyn Cushman in the April 2002 Locus "...It's a great romp..." Midwest Muse by Rosemary Hiem: In Volume XVIII, Issue 5, May 2002, Rosemary Heim wrote a "Book Buddy Review" "FALLEN HOST will be flying off the bookshelves. If you're up for a fascinating and thoroughly enjoyable read, stake out a copy for yourself" Ramblings: a cultural magazine: Carrie Morrison wrote a nice plot summary of Fallen Host at Ramblings: "Fallen Host introduces us to a seemingly distant future that is, in many ways, like our own world. During the investigation, feelings between the AIs, their makers, the angels (good and bad) and Emmaline become irrevocably enmeshed. The plot moves on many levels, from the emotional entanglements formed and the personal consequences they bring about, to the higher realm of religion and its place in society. Those in positions of religious power can make or break you in Emmaline's world, as can sometimes happen in our own." Romantic Times Book Club: In the May 2002 issue Kelly Rae Cooper gave Fallen Host four and a half stars and a Romantic Times Top Pick! She says, "Top-notch innovative storytelling with intriguing characters and fast-paced action are the hallmarks of Ms. Morehouse's writing Spicy Green Iguana (Hypatia's Hoard): Elizabeth Barrette reviewed Fallen Host in Feburay of 2002 "If you liked Archangel Protocol, then you'll love Fallen Host. It's a brilliant cyberpunk novel with strong lines of romance, science fiction, fantasy, and mystic fiction woven through it. Most highly recommended ." SF Site: Lisa Du Mond reviewed Fallen Host for SF
Site "Fallen Host is bullet-train fast and at least as dangerous. "Soldiers" from all sides who get in the way end up a crimson smear on the page. Not even those who manage to grab on escape unscathed. It's brutal, passionate, poignant, and thought-provoking -- just the startling artistry we should expect from Morehouse." SF Weekly: Paul Di Fillippo wrote an in-depth (and deeply scathing) review of Fallen Host for SF Weekly.
PUBLISHER: Roc, an imprint of Penguin Putnam
PRICE: $6.99 ($9.99 in Canada)
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