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A Plague Of Angels by Sherri S Tepper
01/03/2003 . Source: Jane Palmer 
pub: Gollancz. 559 page paperback. Price: £ 6.99 (UK). ISBN: 1-85798-799-3. Buy from Amazon US - Buy from Amazon UK
nb: US titles may only be available from Amazon US, and UK titles from Amazon UK. check out website: www.orionbooks.co.uk
Abasino leaves his farm home for the city where he is enlisted into the Purples, gangers that rule by enforcing protection rackets and doing their best to annihilate members of gangs from a different colour.
On the way to this great adventure and degradation, the boy encounters a two-year-old child being secretly smuggled into the sanctuary of an archetypal village where she is to be installed as its orphan.
Throughout her life, the girl is pursued by the walkers, mechanoids sent out by the 'witch' Ellel who needs Orphan's special powers as a guidance system for her venture into space.
When Abasino encounters Orphan again as an adult, he resolves to help her escape the clutches of evil.
The hero and heroine are aided and abetted by a rather smug talking coyote, a less conversational and to-the-point bear and an angel, a bird-like entity that defies comparison with anything else.
The crux of Sheri Tepper's plot is an ecological message about preserving indigenous diversity and controlling the proliferation of people. The protagonists for good are hard put to counteract the army of evil, radioactive and maladjusted walkers controlled by Ellel.
They apparently smell awful as well. When dealing with human self-delusion about its place in the Universe, the Thrones of Power represent the ultimate in apocalyptic management.
Though this world is populated by indigenous wildlife, it also has quite disconcertingly ogres, gryphons, dragons, giants, 'angels', goblins and trolls. It makes for an odd mix coupled with genetic engineering and space technology, albeit bio-magically guided. Despite this, the heady brew manages to work by pure momentum and no apology.
Don't be put off when the odd political pitch is made. It's invariably to reinforce the author's direction in a way already achieved in the plot and seldom slows things down.
Heroism wins in the end but not unconditionally, leaving the seeds of another story, though no threat of a trilogy of fashionable doorstep proportions. 'A Plague Of Angels' has a readability guaranteed to convert anyone not a fantasy fan.
Although the underlying tenant of the story merges with Science Fiction, it is immersed in the realms of the supernatural and fantastic.
The writing is lucid and more compelling than much fantasy and not overlong or pretentious. Highly recommended for those who resent having to struggle to meet an author's aspirations.
Jane Palmer
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