For the life of me I could not connect with any of the characters. Some of them, I don't even know why they are there. Actually, I don't know why half the book is there.

I don't understand the world - there are bits of this and that and a glimpse of something else. But why is the sun not shining outside the city? Why do soldiers (that's what angels are) live at the very top, guarding warehouses, why not the richest and most privileged strolling through their high rise palaces ? Where is Rocco? I hoped Gabriel would recognize him in one of the other angels, or other modded. If Rocco loved Gabriel, he would have followed him and met the same (or almost) fate. Jeff... nothing solid on him either. I mean, you take every single character and they are just foundering around, barely afloat, flicking in and out of their cartoon-ish existence.

Someone told me not to bother with this book. It was on "my friends said no" shelf for a long time. But then I needed it for a challenge *ugh* I will NOT be buying book 2.

1.75-ish. ( )

The world building was cool and kinda different. There were elements that I definitely enjoyed, but I found the characters just didn't move me enough and as a result I just couldn't get into the book. ( )

There are sci-fi novels and futuristic novels, the main difference is probably that, in the futuristic one, the romance is more accentuated than in the pure science fiction genre; of course me, being a romantic at heart, have a preference for the futuristic theme, but I have to say that, not being an expert, Angel: 1089 probably lies in the middle, the romance is good, but also the alternative reality the author managed to build is more than good, and above all, original.

Gabriel 1089 is an Angel, 1000 for the Archangel series, and 89 since he was the 89 piece made in that series. Yes, you read correctly, “piece”: in this alternative reality Angels are not heaven made creatures, but simply former human with some engineering “corrections”; oh, an God is an AI gone out of control. Angels are now no more than puppets, and their target is to avoid humans to steal the AI knowledge that would allow them to better their life. Demons are half-smugglers, half-gangsters who are in control of what human territory remains, while Angels, and who controls them, are living in the “uplevel”. I think there is a little of modern mythology here, with the Demons in the guise of Titans trying to steal the knowledge to the Gods to help humans (remember Prometheus and the fire?).

Gabriel 1089 is a fallen Angel, he didn’t choose to fall, but he was practically abandoned by his Heaven comrades, without a wing and without any chance to go back. Demons bring him to Jeff, to be patched and brought back to health. While with Jeff, Gabe, as it’s not known, starts to recover memories from his past, and that is not a good thing since he also learns that not all it glitters is gold, and that Heaven could be not the paradise he believed. Plus in even Angels have no sex, and don’t have sex either, and on earth Gabe is developing an attraction to Jeff.

More than the romance, that is good, I think the strong point of this novel is the apocalypse now setting, and how the author played with mythological elements to make them into a sci-fi novel. Other good point is like she didn’t have good and bad, Angels against Demons, but she decided to give a share of good and bad to both of them.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1609282051/?tag=elimyrevandra-20

Science Fiction is my favorite genre. But, it's difficult to find M/M science fiction with fully realized world-building, especially when it has a romantic subplot. Often, authors just throw some SciFi "stuff" at a contemporary gay romance. So, I was delighted at how richly developed the setting and characters are in Angel 1089! I was sucked in from the very beginning, and read straight through.

The world is slowly and subtly revealed as readers are introduced to and learn about the characters. Natural disasters destroyed the world as we know it, and one powerful corporation became dominant and took control by building a city in the sky - away from the destruction. But not everyone has enough money, or is worthy enough, for Heaven. Gabriel 1089 is a cybernetic angel, Archangel Class, assigned to protect Heaven from demons who try to steal supplies. Jeff is a single father struggling to raise his daughter and survive down below. He has exceptional engineering/IT skills, which make him valuable to the demons who rule Old Trent. Jeff owes the demons, so when they show up with a wounded angel and orders to care for him, Jeff has no choice. He doesn't expect to fall in love...

I loved this book. The play on angels and heaven is very creative, as is the cybernetic element. The authors provides lots of twists concerning the characters, in particular Gabe. I also liked how the demons are something akin to the Mafia. Not everything is black and white; there is a lot more to the story than initially meets the eye. Jeff and Gabe make a strong couple whose relationship realistically develops over time, making the sex all the more enjoyable because it evolved naturally. The sex is explicit, but not gratuitous. Secondary characters are developed enough to serve their purpose, especially Jeff's little girl. Overall, this was fantastic story and I really hope the author does a sequel - I want to spend more time in this world. ( )

I LOVE the premise of this book. Bridges creates a fantastic world and describes it in great detail. The stories of all of the characters are wonderful as well. I just wish there were more. Just as you get caught up on each of the characters stories and how they all end up where they are in the book, it's over. I expected there to be more conflict and struggle toward the end, because I feel the book alludes to that early on. This book is ripe to be the beginning of a series, and I hope there is at least a sequel to finish the story. ( )