"The Angelic Gene imagines a cadre of angels who long ago volunteered to enter the human race and create offspring who would carry their angelic genes for the good of humanity. Unfortunately, dark forces of the underworld became aware of this line of gifted and spiritually attuned humans. The dark forces, one evil persona in particular, began tracking them and killing them off. One person remains carrying the angelic gene, and she is unaware of her angelic pedigree. It will be up to her and a troupe of highly trained monks to destroy the evil forces that have been raised to end the angelic gene.
The narrative occurs in late 19th Century Great Britain and involves one of the most infamous killers of history who serves his dark master by murder.
Goodwin's The Angelic Gene is a prequel to two previously published books in the series. It is an intriguing set of characters and plot to want to follow. Since this is the first that I have read, reading the other two appeals to me. Readers who have read the other books in the series may better appreciate getting the back story of Sophia and learning how she has developed and matured. It seems that Goodwin assumed some prior knowledge among readers and didn't fully elaborate on characters and plot in a way he would have if this was the first book written in the series.
The story moves along at a steady pace except for a few areas that seemed to bog down and could have been trimmed. This could have been better developed to give readers a better feel for the historical, cultural and geographic settings of the book.
Goodwin inserts some discussions of Christianity into the story. These subjects are relevant to the story and characters. Some of the spiritual interactions are Biblical and some involve imaginative creativity by the author.
A few times the author seems to write some historical inconsistencies that interrupt the development and flow of the book's setting. For example, he has a baptism scene in which the two teen girls are baptized in a pond or river. Both girls spent their childhoods in a Roman Catholic orphanage and attended Mass at a Catholic Church. There is practically no way they would not have been baptized as infants in such a setting.
Other than a few inconsistencies like that, the book is enjoyable and broaches myriad topics of the spiritual realm. It also pulls on the heartstrings more than once. The characters are appealing -- who wouldn't love a monk who is like a ninja warrior? The Angelic Gene carrier begins the battle she will apparently continue through the series of fighting the shadows that have entered our world from the underworld."
- C. Stephans - via Amazon US
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