Archangel is a novel that could almost be considered fantasy, there are angels, who intercede with the god, Jovah, and guide the people. However there are many oblique references to technology. The interface between the Oracles and Jovah is screen with arcane symbols, and all humans are tracked by a device implanted in their arm after birth, known as Jovah's Kiss.

The Archangel elect, Gabriel, must find his consort, the Angelica, identified by the Oracle as Jovah's choice. He must find her before the Gloria is sung on the Plain of Sharon, the mass which tells Jovah that the people live in harmony, because the mass must be led by the Archangel and Angelica.

When he learns that she is a farmer's daughter, he is worried, she must be his companion and ally, helping him with the business of governing, and the politics of the land. When he finds her, it is much worse than he had anticipated.

This is world of dangerous politics, deep emotions, and human frailty. Sharon Shinn has a gift for examining the complexity of human interactions and ensnaring the reader in both sides of a difficult relationship, and two strong willed individuals.