'Archangel' by Michael Vorhis: A Gritty, Adventure Novel Debuts on Amazon

Oct. 1, 2011 - PRLog -- Archangel, by Michael Vorhis is the type of book that allows the reader a long look at the landscape before the action sets in. Smart readers will proceed one step at a time in to the labyrinth of main character Father Mick Calahan’s world as the novel begins in a determined pace. Calahan has come to the priesthood late in life. But what are his secrets, Vorhis skillfully compels us to ask. Because, as the author deftly hints, no one comes to the priesthood late in life without a few secrets. And therein is the lure of Vorhis writing. The reader might describe their experience with Vorhis’ writing as that of a snagged trout. You’re hooked, and you know you’re going to be landed.

Archangel is available on Amazon in soft cover and eBook format.  Go to (http://www.amazon.com/Archangel-Michael-Vorhis/dp/0983898502)  for details.

Archangel is set in a contemporary western outpost, as desolate as it is dusty. The reader can feel eyes of the townsfolk peering out at our hero, Calahan, as he walks down the center of the pueblo after his arrival. Lace curtains flutter, shutters shift and adjust as Calahan makes progress in uncovering the secrets of the run down Catholic church he has been sent to under circumstances, poorly defined by ‘the Bishop’. Dark and shadow is Vorhis writing style – with shafts of light blinding us at critical moments in a ‘blinded by the light’ style. The result is a noir telling, as gritty as it is compelling.

The story’s motherlode is discovered by Chapter Nine, in a book constructed of sharp, short chapters. In this manner, the pacing is perfect. Let the reader look around, get his bearings, before he, and the characters of Archangel are running for their lives. All suspicion point to Knox, an omnipresent puppet master who gives Archangel its balance between good and evil – Calahan against Knox. Featuring a sinister struggle for land and water – the usual struggle in desert outposts – Vorhis has the presence, and skill, to stir in the most three dimensional characters any debut novelist has a right to claim. The bad guys are not cliché paperback western dudes. They each have a past, a story, a goal, and a soft side. Likewise with the heroes – dark and shadow – they each have a past, a story, a goal, and a dark side.

The author admits in interviews that writing Archangel was a long running obsession. Vorhis attention to the social undertones of Native American culture should leave his readers wondering. What’s your story, Vorhis? Likewise his understanding of the politics of papacy are apparent.

Handling ‘show, don’t tell’ quite expertly, Mr. Vorhis lets his characters do the talking. And they have a lot to spill, once they get going. A good detective will let the story simmer before it boils, and after reading Archangel, believe me, it’s going to boil. You can bet on it. Drug smugglers, loose women, angelic mothers, Venezuelan outlaws, men of the cloth who drink – yes, they are all included. Expect to be entertained by an author who backs into his revelations leaving his readers to exclaim, ‘Aha!’ with delight.

I was originally drawn to Archangel as a publisher. I watched, on Twitter, as Michael Vorhis slid Archangel over the counter to his followers. Those who know me are aware that I am drawn to debut novelists who seem to have ‘the formula’. Vorhis marketing presence is sophisticated, his pace is steady. Once you have settled into the gravelly voice of his story, with its regional twang, you’ll be caught up in the telling; hook, line and sinker.

But there’s more to it than that. For a debut novelist Vorhis more than holds his own. He has style. Look at the book cover of Archangel. Design perfection. The book cover for Archangel is one that you want in your collection, if that’s your thing. And, judging by the popularity of authors such as Dean Wesley Smith, collecting book cover design of cult authors is a worthy pastime. So, here we have a well-constructed story, colorful characters, a landscape of dark and shadows, an honest, unpretentious presence on the part of the author – ‘the formula’.

Pay attention everyone, already followers of Michael Vorhis are asking for a sequel.

Archangel is available through FreeFlight Publishing of Fremont, California as well as through Amazon and Barnes & Noble outlets. Smart book lovers can grab a copy of Vorhis work at rather delicious price points for now – I’m recommending that he increase the price points, both on soft cover and eBook format, for this issue.

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A.V. Harrison Publishing features ground-breaking topics from emerging authors. Its books are distributed by Ingram, available on Amazon.com and B&N Nook. Owner, Emily Hill, invites submissions and can be contacted at info@avharrison-publishing.com.