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The Human Genus #1
Angelus
Most anthropologists believe eons ago there were over fourteen species of human. They also believe only one of those species survived beyond the ice age. They are wrong. Three species of human have endured and now live in modern society. Homo angelus have wings. Homo daemonis have horns and a tail. Homo sapiens have no idea the other two exist. Sarah Connelly's job is to ensure it stays that way.
Sarah is a half-daemon rookie agent for the international daemon and angel police force, SITO. She has been assigned to protect an orphaned, half-angel child, Kels. The child has been receiving attention from an extreme religious group, the Anakites, who are rumored to believe their divine cause is to cleanse the earth of all impure human species, meaning all non-angels.
All hell breaks loose when an angel is caught stalking Kels. SITO arrests the angel, Aaron, who claims he was only watching over the child. Aaron warns Sarah that Kels is in serious danger from the Anakites and that only he knows how to protect the child. Sarah decides to trust Aaron, which means going against orders from her superiors at SITO. This puts her deep in Anakite territory without backup, a dangerous place to be for a rookie half-daemon agent. There she uncovers the Anakites' plot to make a brutal example of the hybrid child, and if she was wrong to trust Aaron, she herself will meet a similar fate, a fate that would frighten even the most hardened hero.
Sarah is a half-daemon rookie agent for the international daemon and angel police force, SITO. She has been assigned to protect an orphaned, half-angel child, Kels. The child has been receiving attention from an extreme religious group, the Anakites, who are rumored to believe their divine cause is to cleanse the earth of all impure human species, meaning all non-angels.
All hell breaks loose when an angel is caught stalking Kels. SITO arrests the angel, Aaron, who claims he was only watching over the child. Aaron warns Sarah that Kels is in serious danger from the Anakites and that only he knows how to protect the child. Sarah decides to trust Aaron, which means going against orders from her superiors at SITO. This puts her deep in Anakite territory without backup, a dangerous place to be for a rookie half-daemon agent. There she uncovers the Anakites' plot to make a brutal example of the hybrid child, and if she was wrong to trust Aaron, she herself will meet a similar fate, a fate that would frighten even the most hardened hero.
308 pages, Paperback
First published March 13, 2011
1 person is currently reading
500 people want to read
About the author
Mary C. Moore
12 books106 followersMary was an early reader. She surprised her mother by learning to read at four and going on to read Charlotte’s Web and Peter Pan before first grade. In high school, her advanced reading helped her to earn a place in California’s state Academic Decathlon competition, winning gold medals in the literature exam over multiple years. Her love of reading continued through her first career path as a biologist, spurring her to write fiction during her off time. She earned a Bachelor of Science: Evolution, Ecology, and Conservation from the University of California San Diego, became a veterinarian’s assistant, then a field biologist in Ghana, Costa Rica, and Hawaii, and then a zookeeper at the San Francisco Zoo, while she wrote her first novel.
Inevitably her passion for reading and writing drew her to publishing.
She graduated from Mills College, Oakland with a MFA in Creative Writing and English, and is currently a Literary Agent at Aevitas Creative Management.
Inevitably her passion for reading and writing drew her to publishing.
She graduated from Mills College, Oakland with a MFA in Creative Writing and English, and is currently a Literary Agent at Aevitas Creative Management.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 4, 2025
Mary C. Moore takes you on a charming, one-of-a-kind journey into an intriguing world of sapiens, demons, angels and half-breeds in this contemporary fantasy tale involving Sarah, a half-demon who works at paranormal detective agency "SITO" (Satellite Intelligence Tracking of Others) and who is tasked with protecting a hybrid half angel orphan who's fate is at the center of a curious mystery.
In this non-supernatural domain, most of the sapiens or “normal” people are unware of the other species, homo daemonis and homo angelus, living among them, yet their entire roots are intricately entwined and rich with alluring history.
While some angels and demons are just trying to survive and be safe in this mainstream sapiens world, others are ashamed of their angelus and daemonis heritage and will go to lengths to conform themselves and their children to this society's tolerances to avoid persecution.
In this lively tale, Sarah has been assigned to the Child Protection Unit at SITO and risks everything to protect her charge as she goes on a quest that includes adventure, religious lore, myth, struggle and love all while we get glimpses of her battle with loneliness and endearing traits such as her propensity for breaking all the rules and humourous inner-dialogue.
"..a sapiens law student who had thought my horn stubs were cute genetic mistakes. I thought he was different, so much that I had revealed my other "genetic mistake." He had not found the bit of tail, covering my perky ass, as cute."
Moore succeeds in making a great heroine in this truly singular paranormal tale spun with strong, fun engaging characters and interesting twists interlaced with easily appealing chemistry between the main character and her pansexual love interests.
Because of all the sexual tension between Sarah and her new sexy demon secretary, the only thing that would have made this more enjoyable would have been an actual sex scene between them, because, damn, their interactions were tantalizing. Tension. And off-beat romances. Sweet. Still, it was an entertaining read and what I liked best besides the hint of nonconformist sexuality you don't typically get with this genre was the bits of origins about demons and angels, the flash of underworlds of hidden cultures throughout the mainstream sapiens history.
Really liked this one – it was a fast read, the story was not heavy, and for me, proved to be a taste of the unexpected.
I was delighted to hear that Moore is penning her second book in this series!
This is not your average paranormal read; I definitely recommend Angelus for anyone who's ever rolled their eyes at the paranormal demon/angel genre because with this one you're in for a treat!
In this non-supernatural domain, most of the sapiens or “normal” people are unware of the other species, homo daemonis and homo angelus, living among them, yet their entire roots are intricately entwined and rich with alluring history.
While some angels and demons are just trying to survive and be safe in this mainstream sapiens world, others are ashamed of their angelus and daemonis heritage and will go to lengths to conform themselves and their children to this society's tolerances to avoid persecution.
In this lively tale, Sarah has been assigned to the Child Protection Unit at SITO and risks everything to protect her charge as she goes on a quest that includes adventure, religious lore, myth, struggle and love all while we get glimpses of her battle with loneliness and endearing traits such as her propensity for breaking all the rules and humourous inner-dialogue.
"..a sapiens law student who had thought my horn stubs were cute genetic mistakes. I thought he was different, so much that I had revealed my other "genetic mistake." He had not found the bit of tail, covering my perky ass, as cute."
Moore succeeds in making a great heroine in this truly singular paranormal tale spun with strong, fun engaging characters and interesting twists interlaced with easily appealing chemistry between the main character and her pansexual love interests.
Because of all the sexual tension between Sarah and her new sexy demon secretary, the only thing that would have made this more enjoyable would have been an actual sex scene between them, because, damn, their interactions were tantalizing. Tension. And off-beat romances. Sweet. Still, it was an entertaining read and what I liked best besides the hint of nonconformist sexuality you don't typically get with this genre was the bits of origins about demons and angels, the flash of underworlds of hidden cultures throughout the mainstream sapiens history.
Really liked this one – it was a fast read, the story was not heavy, and for me, proved to be a taste of the unexpected.
I was delighted to hear that Moore is penning her second book in this series!
This is not your average paranormal read; I definitely recommend Angelus for anyone who's ever rolled their eyes at the paranormal demon/angel genre because with this one you're in for a treat!
July 17, 2012
Synopsis: Sarah Connelley is desperate for a chance to prove herself in her work. A half-demon, in world where angels, demons and half-breeds have to hide themselves away from "normal" folk, Sarah works for SITO (essentially a giant paranormal detective agency) and excells at cases with runaway kids, but wants to take the next step. She wants the big case. And she gets it... An angel child, stalked and abducted. An angel who may or may not be trustworthy. A shadowy cult. And the hot demon chick who started in her work place, that may or may not have the hots for her. Life is never easy.
As ever, we try to offer a balanced review here - a litte of the good, a little of the bad, a little of the trivial. But let's start with the main thing and get it out of the way. That title. A paranormal detective agency. A shadowy world of demons and half-breeds. Angelus.
No. This story has nothing to do with a certain TV character played by David Boreanaz. It is not a Joss Whedon-based spin-off. And there are no vampires or slayers at all. Clear? Good.
On the down side, there are a couple of proofreading errors. A few. VERY few. Barely worth mentioning really. And there's one or two adult touches which just seemed tonally at odds with the rest of the story. Maybe a line or two. I mention these things because as far as faults and problems go, that's it.
See, this book is very, very well written. Not polished and clinically detatched. On the contrary, it is warm, charming, and very smooth. It reads well. The story, characters and world are instantly accessible. The characters are very easy to identify and empathise with, and easy to invest in.
It is an absolute delight to read.
The story progresses well, with genuine emotion and adventure. It never lags. It never gets cloying (despite the presence of a "bratty" five year old). It never patronises, confuses, or allows the pace to dip. It is wonderfully written, with a strong voice of its own.
Crucially, Moore ensures that the reader is invested in the characters, particularly Connelley, at least as much as the story. In doing so, the personal moments are at least as important as the overall events in the missing child case. This plays out particularly well with the ending, which left me wanting to see what happens next in Connelley's personal relationships as much as what her next case will be (and for me, that's pretty rare).
For me, for a story to truly succeed, it needs to suck me in. I want to be immersed in the story, in the world, and enjoy it. Angelus does that, and does it well. Overall, a great read, and I'm genuinely looking forward to the next book. Unless it's called Spike, in which case I may have to throw something.
As ever, we try to offer a balanced review here - a litte of the good, a little of the bad, a little of the trivial. But let's start with the main thing and get it out of the way. That title. A paranormal detective agency. A shadowy world of demons and half-breeds. Angelus.
No. This story has nothing to do with a certain TV character played by David Boreanaz. It is not a Joss Whedon-based spin-off. And there are no vampires or slayers at all. Clear? Good.
On the down side, there are a couple of proofreading errors. A few. VERY few. Barely worth mentioning really. And there's one or two adult touches which just seemed tonally at odds with the rest of the story. Maybe a line or two. I mention these things because as far as faults and problems go, that's it.
See, this book is very, very well written. Not polished and clinically detatched. On the contrary, it is warm, charming, and very smooth. It reads well. The story, characters and world are instantly accessible. The characters are very easy to identify and empathise with, and easy to invest in.
It is an absolute delight to read.
The story progresses well, with genuine emotion and adventure. It never lags. It never gets cloying (despite the presence of a "bratty" five year old). It never patronises, confuses, or allows the pace to dip. It is wonderfully written, with a strong voice of its own.
Crucially, Moore ensures that the reader is invested in the characters, particularly Connelley, at least as much as the story. In doing so, the personal moments are at least as important as the overall events in the missing child case. This plays out particularly well with the ending, which left me wanting to see what happens next in Connelley's personal relationships as much as what her next case will be (and for me, that's pretty rare).
For me, for a story to truly succeed, it needs to suck me in. I want to be immersed in the story, in the world, and enjoy it. Angelus does that, and does it well. Overall, a great read, and I'm genuinely looking forward to the next book. Unless it's called Spike, in which case I may have to throw something.
May 28, 2012
The only word I can think of to describe this book is intoxicating. Once started, it's so hard to put it down. I instantly fell in love with the concept, the characters, and the story development. I was swept up into an edgy world of angels and daemons where modern and old-world culture is intermixed into everyday life, and of course, humans are none the wiser. I was completely infatuated with its lead character, half-daemon Sarah Connelly, and the mission she is tasked to complete. All the characters in the novel are very well crafted, adding his or her own element to the story.
I loved that I was given a history lesson on the origins of daemons and angels and how they interacted with humans throughout history. I loved that even though this book could be classified as an urban fantasy, the author didn't feel the need to add magical elements. She constructed an intriguing story by using the traditional ideals that the world has about the existence of another species living among us. To craft such an idea and turn it into such a well written, engrossing, and believable novel is a feat of brilliance that I really admire. The only disappointing part of the book is that it ends. I hope to see a series developed with this set of characters.
I loved that I was given a history lesson on the origins of daemons and angels and how they interacted with humans throughout history. I loved that even though this book could be classified as an urban fantasy, the author didn't feel the need to add magical elements. She constructed an intriguing story by using the traditional ideals that the world has about the existence of another species living among us. To craft such an idea and turn it into such a well written, engrossing, and believable novel is a feat of brilliance that I really admire. The only disappointing part of the book is that it ends. I hope to see a series developed with this set of characters.
February 15, 2012
Mary C. Moore's first novel shows great storytelling skill and imagination.
October 19, 2012
A fun, engaging adventure told in a light, easy to read style. Intelligent without being pretentious.
The story is told in a first person narrative from the perspective of Sarah Connelly, a 1/2 daemon operative with SITO -- a secret organization charged with policing the activities of Homo daemonis (daemons), and Homo angelus (angels) as well as keeping their existence secret from the more familiar Homo sapiens. Sarah, unhappily stuck in an entry level position that is equal parts truant officer and social worker, is dying to get into the more exciting cases that involve danger and adventure. One day she gets her chance when she accidentally stumbles into the middle of a big case that sends her off and running with a combination of stubbornness, recklessness and just plain dumb luck.
The story unfolds in a very relaxed, natural style that highlights the well developed character of Sarah Connelly... most of the other characters are less well defined but since it's Sarah's story, and most of the time she's in the dark herself, trying to unravel a mystery, it doesn't detract much from the overall read.
For the most part the author manages to introduce Sarah’s world to the reader in an easy, conversational manner that allows the story to unfold without getting sidetracked or bogged down in the larger mythology of the world it inhabits. To her credit, author Mary C. Moore has created an interesting, somewhat complex world while making it seem a deceptively easy task.
The book also touches lightly on the subjects of prejudice, and racial bias without getting mired into metaphorical parallels.
There are sexual situations though none are overly explicit or graphic.
I particularly liked the premise of the story, the fact that the angels and daemons are not supernatural creatures merely different species of humans. It gave it more of a traditional detective story flavor rather than that of a paranormal thriller.
A few minor quibbles: In the copy I read the print goes from bold to light in several places which at first makes it seem as though special emphasis is being paid on a particular passage or sentence when it’s just an anomaly in the printing once you get used to it you don’t even notice. There are several places where the sentences seem somewhat truncated leaving out a word or two, as well as the occasional omission of "a", "an", "to", "the", etc.
***This review is of a copy of the book I received from a Goodreads First Reads giveaway contest
The story is told in a first person narrative from the perspective of Sarah Connelly, a 1/2 daemon operative with SITO -- a secret organization charged with policing the activities of Homo daemonis (daemons), and Homo angelus (angels) as well as keeping their existence secret from the more familiar Homo sapiens. Sarah, unhappily stuck in an entry level position that is equal parts truant officer and social worker, is dying to get into the more exciting cases that involve danger and adventure. One day she gets her chance when she accidentally stumbles into the middle of a big case that sends her off and running with a combination of stubbornness, recklessness and just plain dumb luck.
The story unfolds in a very relaxed, natural style that highlights the well developed character of Sarah Connelly... most of the other characters are less well defined but since it's Sarah's story, and most of the time she's in the dark herself, trying to unravel a mystery, it doesn't detract much from the overall read.
For the most part the author manages to introduce Sarah’s world to the reader in an easy, conversational manner that allows the story to unfold without getting sidetracked or bogged down in the larger mythology of the world it inhabits. To her credit, author Mary C. Moore has created an interesting, somewhat complex world while making it seem a deceptively easy task.
The book also touches lightly on the subjects of prejudice, and racial bias without getting mired into metaphorical parallels.
There are sexual situations though none are overly explicit or graphic.
I particularly liked the premise of the story, the fact that the angels and daemons are not supernatural creatures merely different species of humans. It gave it more of a traditional detective story flavor rather than that of a paranormal thriller.
A few minor quibbles: In the copy I read the print goes from bold to light in several places which at first makes it seem as though special emphasis is being paid on a particular passage or sentence when it’s just an anomaly in the printing once you get used to it you don’t even notice. There are several places where the sentences seem somewhat truncated leaving out a word or two, as well as the occasional omission of "a", "an", "to", "the", etc.
***This review is of a copy of the book I received from a Goodreads First Reads giveaway contest
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August 4, 2012I had the pleasure of workshopping part of this novel at Mills College. What I remember from reading earlier drafts was how much I loved Sarah, the protagonist. Seeing her character develop in the novel made me love her even more. Sarah is great queer character. As someone who is attracted to people of all different genders, it is empowering to see a character who shares my sexuality.
Also, Sarah is a "halfer" (part daemon). Angels and daemons are "othered" not only by wings, horns, and tails, but also by skin tone. The inversion of Raphaelite imagery--angels with dark complexions and daemons with fair complexions--reminded me of Ursula Le Guin's dark-skinned wizards in Earthsea. Racial differences (and differences in species) in Mary's novel are grounded in myth/religion, science, interactions between characters, and in Sarah's thoughts; this reflects the complexity of how humans experience ethnicity.
I'm so glad that this novel is finally on my bookshelf!
Also, Sarah is a "halfer" (part daemon). Angels and daemons are "othered" not only by wings, horns, and tails, but also by skin tone. The inversion of Raphaelite imagery--angels with dark complexions and daemons with fair complexions--reminded me of Ursula Le Guin's dark-skinned wizards in Earthsea. Racial differences (and differences in species) in Mary's novel are grounded in myth/religion, science, interactions between characters, and in Sarah's thoughts; this reflects the complexity of how humans experience ethnicity.
I'm so glad that this novel is finally on my bookshelf!
April 3, 2012
I went through Angelus in one sitting because the plot just kept pulling me along. It's likely you'll want to stay up all night too. This is fantastic writing and the world building was great. I've read a lot of angel/demon stories before and not only does Angelus have an intriguing premise, it also follows through by making you intensely curious and invested in a universe co-inhabited by humans, angels, daemons, and halfies. I loved the supporting characters and Sarah herself. Overall, can't wait for more!
August 26, 2012
I marked it 4 stars but it's mostly 3.75 stars.
I mean, it was a very good book, and really interesting, adventurous, with some suspence, battling, fighting, and just a touch of romance.
yep, that must be the problem. I don't say it should have had sex scenes and making out sessions. But, Jeez, at least a damn kiss?!?! Nope. I waited until the end for the characters to understand they liked each other and see a damned kiss. But nothing happened. Nope. They had to get to know each other better first. Seriously? WTF?!?!
That thing aside, the book was very good and I couldn't put it down. I was just too curious of what would come next and how the story would end.
Not bad, but not a favorite.
I would recommend it, however.
I mean, it was a very good book, and really interesting, adventurous, with some suspence, battling, fighting, and just a touch of romance.
yep, that must be the problem. I don't say it should have had sex scenes and making out sessions. But, Jeez, at least a damn kiss?!?! Nope. I waited until the end for the characters to understand they liked each other and see a damned kiss. But nothing happened. Nope. They had to get to know each other better first. Seriously? WTF?!?!
That thing aside, the book was very good and I couldn't put it down. I was just too curious of what would come next and how the story would end.
Not bad, but not a favorite.
I would recommend it, however.
September 1, 2012
Not a bad read....a bit of an abrupt ending but can lead into another book.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews