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Fallen (The Prometheus Project #1)

by Claire Delacroix (Goodreads Author)

3.32 of 5 stars 3.32 · rating details · 117 ratings · 28 reviews

The Eyes of the Republic are Everywhere.

When her estranged husband's mysterious death is declared an accident, Lilia Desjardins knows that it is a lie. She leaves all she knows to risk the dark heart of the Republic -- only to find that she herself has been targeted by forces unknown.

Adam Montgomery will do anything to complete his earthly mission, even if he has to tangle...more

Paperback, 372 pages

Published September 30th 2008 by Tor Paranormal Romance (first published January 1st 2008)

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Apr 23, 2009 Julie (jjmachshev) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009-reads

First off, let me say that I would classify "Fallen" by Claire Delacroix as science fiction vice paranormal romance. Why? Well, the romance is really a side bar in this plot. If you removed it, the story wouldn't change all that much with the exception of one choice at the end which doesn't impact the rest of the story. BUT, I'm not the author's publicist or publisher, so who cares about my opinion :)

In the year 2099, the Earth is a very different place. In addition to the countless deaths from...more First off, let me say that I would classify "Fallen" by Claire Delacroix as science fiction vice paranormal romance. Why? Well, the romance is really a side bar in this plot. If you removed it, the story wouldn't change all that much with the exception of one choice at the end which doesn't impact the rest of the story. BUT, I'm not the author's publicist or publisher, so who cares about my opinion :)

In the year 2099, the Earth is a very different place. In addition to the countless deaths from bombings in the First Global War, loss of major metropolises and the massive drain on energy sources devastated the infrastructure of civilization. Soon after, those affected by the fallout radiation were designated 'SHADEs' (Sub Human Atomic Deviant Evaluation) and laws were passed removing their rights and making them science fodder and energy slaves to fuel life for those unaffected. Any child born with any markings, scars, or deformities are automatically designated SHADEs and removed from the parent. In addition, the Republic runs whats left of the U.S. and has ultimate authority over every aspect of peoples lives via hand implant computers, ever-present monitoring, and spies.

Luckily for humans, there really are angels. On the downside, Satan is also real...and the battle for mankind is still on. Adam is a former angel who volunteered for a mission on Earth. To accept the mission, he had to lose his wings, his 'knowing', and his powers. So now he's more human than angel, but still has a mission to accomplish in order to regain his angel status. He becomes tangled up with Lilia when she arrives to his city to investigate the death of her estranged husband. Their investigations lead them to clues regarding a malignant conspiracy and finding the truth may cost them their lives.

There are several things left unexplained in this story. I'm assuming they are 'to be explained' in later books in the series and since everything that truly affected THIS story was explained, that doesn't bother me so much. The scope of this plot is very big, and it's easy to tell that Delacroix has much more to write about this world of hers. As a science fiction read, I found it engrossing and interesting. As a paranormal romance, it would be more of a 3 star read at best.

Delacroix's world is complex and layered, with information and history doled out incrementally as it impacts the plot. There are organizations and shadowy cabals as is necessary in any good science fiction tale of good vs evil. Her addition of heavenly intervention provides a different slant and is likely what garnered the paranormal romance designation. All in all, I liked the story...as science fiction. If that's not your thing? You'll likely be disappointed.(less)

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Dec 28, 2008 Cher rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopian, paranormal-romance, angels

This is both the best and worst book I've read in a long time. The prose is absolutely asinine and artless. However, the storyline is so interesting, except for the few overblown bits, that I enjoyed it immensely. The sex scenes weren't bad at all, frank and fun, but the whole "fight the devil by turning lust to love" crap was just pathetic. I mean lust is not a negative energy unto itself. It doesn't need marriage or Jesus-like self-sacrifice to redeem it. Without the compulsion of lust, how wo...more

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Sep 03, 2009 Tez rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jun 28, 2010 K. Bird rated it 3 of 5 stars

If you're looking for a fresh twist on the usual Urban Fantasy fare, this might be a good book to pick up. Angels volunteer to have their wings surgically removed and to pursue a mission on the Earth, only when their mission is complete can they get their wings back and return to their angelic state.

Adam Montgomery is one such angel. His role as a policeman gets him in contact with Lilia Desjardins, the newly widowed "Nuclear Darwinist" whose job it is to find and capture "shades", the mutated-b...more

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Jul 19, 2010 Christine rated it 4 of 5 stars

I bought this book for a dollar. I figured; what the heck? And I liked it. It's not the most stellar plot, and the sex scenes were rather irritating (I just skipped through them. I was not left confused, leading me to believe that Delacroix wrote them in just to sell, and that they contributed nothing to the plot. I was right.) However, it was a dystopia sort of thing, but not exactly. More like an anti-big government conspiracy theory type of thing. In other words, right up my alley. :) I like...more

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Nov 21, 2008 Gail rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction, romance

In a post-apocalyptic world, angels descend to Earth to thwart evil and save humanity. The heroine is a scientist looking into the death of her husband, with whom she had a troubled relationship. The world has reverted to repressing women, and humans born with genetic defects are classified as non-human and used in unnerving ways. The hero works for the state police and meets the heroine when she is picked up for entering a forbidden, radioactive area, and there's an attraction, which disturbs h...more

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Aug 18, 2009 Lesleyw rated it 3 of 5 stars

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Personally, this book was nowhere near being paranormal romance. The hero and heroine spend the majority of the book apart.

Whilst I found the hero's story interesting, and the overall plot once I got into it very absorbing, it took an awful long time to get there.

I had several problems. The heroine is stupid on several occasions. Though she's better in the second half of the book. And some of the worldbuilding I thought was unnecessary and took away from the story. There are sumptuary and decen...more

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May 02, 2010 S.S. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

The plot of this is so good, it makes it easier to ignore the basic prose.

First pages of description about the angel submitting to having his wings sawn off are graphic, setting the tone for this post-apocalyptic story. It this world, nukes have razed cities, creating few habitable areas. Off limits radiation zones are forbidden, unless you are born with a birth defect (considered non-humans). There is a murder mystery, steamy romance, political corruption and rebellion against the Republic.

It...more

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Feb 25, 2012 Michelle the Romance Witch rated it 3 of 5 stars

an interesting premise to be sure but needed some serious fleshing out and a lot more of the romance angle to win anywhere near 4 stars from me.
the post apocalyptic word was interesting and multi-layered for sure, but there just wasn't enough back story. So many things were not explained and you had to muddle through things and do a lot of inferring and conclusion jumping for sure. I wish there was maybe a bit of a prologue and perhaps also a few more explanations of certain parts of the settin...more

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Aug 21, 2010 Paranormal Haven rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-read-by-stephanie

3.5 Stars

Lilia Desjardins is convinced that her husband was murdered and has set out to find the truth. Her search takes her into dangerous situations and her investigation has not gone unnoticed by the Republic or the handsome police officer Adam Montgomery. Adam is an angel who has volunteered to go to earth for a mission and will do what it takes to complete it. He is attracted to Lilia and they both soon realize that in order to find their answers they will need to work together.

It took me...more 3.5 Stars

Lilia Desjardins is convinced that her husband was murdered and has set out to find the truth. Her search takes her into dangerous situations and her investigation has not gone unnoticed by the Republic or the handsome police officer Adam Montgomery. Adam is an angel who has volunteered to go to earth for a mission and will do what it takes to complete it. He is attracted to Lilia and they both soon realize that in order to find their answers they will need to work together.

It took me a while to get into this book, not because I didn't like it but because it wasn't what I expected. This book felt more Sci-Fi than Paranormal Romance. It is set in the future after there have been nuclear attacks. People born with birth defects are labeled as Shades. Shades are looked down upon and are not even considered humans. Lilia is a Shade hunter. Instead of turning them in and having them become slaves or medical experiments, she takes them to the circus where they are paid, allowed to have names and a sense of normalcy. I really liked Lilia's compassion towards the Shades and the strong opinions she has for those who mistreat them. Adam is set on fulfilling his mission so he can get his wings back and go home. Of course the arrival of Lilia in his life starts to make him change his mind. I didn't care too much for Adam's character. I did not dislike him but he just felt kind of bland. He did his duty whether it was for the police department or his mission and that's about it. I had a hard time feeling the love between Lilia and Adam. I knew they lusted for each other and their scenes together were hot but it didn't come off as love to me. Maybe if they appear in future books, I might change how I feel about it.

In the future the rights for women have taken a giant step back. The government has said it is woman's clothing that is to blame for sexual attacks so they are required to be completely covered from head to toe when in public. No veils are required but are highly recommended. I liked reading how Lilia walked the fine line of this ridiculous law. Also, every move you made is watched by the government. There is no such thing as privacy in future depicted in Fallen.

There is a supernatural element to Fallen of course with the angels. They are coming to earth to try and help save us from the corrupt who wish to cause more suffering for profit and greed. There were some interesting twists and what the Shades are put through and how they are treated really tugs at your heart. This was an interesting start to a series I look forward to continuing.

~Stephanie G(less)

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Jun 10, 2010 Jill Dunlop rated it 4 of 5 stars

Fallen is the first book in a new trilogy by Claire Delacroix. It is set in a post apocalyptic America in 2099, several years after many cities were bombed with nuclear weapons. A large portion of the world’s population was killed because of these bombs. Another side effect of these bombs was nuclear radiation. The majority of the population was exposed to this radiation causing birth defects in unborn children. People who have side effects due to the radiation are known as shades. They are not...more Fallen is the first book in a new trilogy by Claire Delacroix. It is set in a post apocalyptic America in 2099, several years after many cities were bombed with nuclear weapons. A large portion of the world’s population was killed because of these bombs. Another side effect of these bombs was nuclear radiation. The majority of the population was exposed to this radiation causing birth defects in unborn children. People who have side effects due to the radiation are known as shades. They are not considered human and do not have civil rights. They are used for research and slavery. Lilia Desjardins is a shade hunter. She finds shades and brings them to the circus where she works. The circus is the one place where the shades can live a relatively normal life.

Lilia’s estranged husband is killed in a mysterious accident. She suspects that his death was not an accident, but murder. She is convinced that she must uncover the killer and bring the truth about her husband’s murder to light. Lilia has a penchant for finding trouble. When she discovers a body of a shade who had connections to her husband, she reports it to the authorities. She meets Officer Adam Montgomery and together they search for her husband’s killer. Unbeknownst to Lilia, Adam is an Angel who has volunteered to help save humanity. Besides the fact that he is attracted to Lilia, he also believes that she will help him complete his mission.

I just have to say, I really enjoyed this book. There is a lot of emphasis on the futuristic world and how corrupt it has become. The details are very tight and well defined. The book has a very dark vibe to it, and yet there is a tiny ray of light and hope at the center of everything. The characters Adam and Lilia are wonderfully drawn. Lilia is a bleeding heart. She might act tough and gruff, but underneath that steely façade she’s as soft as a marshmallow. Adam is otherworldly and is beginning to understand the appeal of being human. He becomes attached to earth and Lilia and this comes as a complete surprise to him.

Fallen ends more or less with a ‘happy for now’. There are conflicts that still need to be resolved with the big picture. The mystery surrounding Lilia’s husband’s death does get wrapped up. The next book in the trilogy will be Guardian. It won’t be out until October 2009 and features new characters Delilia and Rafe. Ms. Delacroix does state that Lilia and Adam will make an appearance in Guardian.
(less)

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Oct 08, 2008 Rebecca rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Nobody....dull!

Ok, I give it two stars, but it really only should get one. I couldn't finish it. It was just too dull. I got half way through the book and nothing had changed. The heroine was a mix of guts and insecurity that did not flow well. Her whole position of "hating" the establishment was never explained until 3/4 of the way through the book and even then, it came across as awkward and forced. The hero was too mysterious, we never really got to know "him" other than being an "angel" - which I was confu...more

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Dec 02, 2008 Kathyred rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: sf, adult, paranormalromance

Dystopian vision of the future, where nuclear "incidents" have made several major cities uninhabitable, the "Republic" monitors its citizens closely and people born w/ birth defects are considered not-humans. Yet angels volunteer to temporarily give up their wings and come down to do Godly missions, among them hunky Adam Montgomery. He falls in love w/ beautiful, rebellious Lilia, who is investigating the death of her husband. A page-turner, but darker than I really like.

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Mar 01, 2012 Sarah (Workaday Reads) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012

This book was an odd mix of Victorian values and fashion and futuristic dystopian. Society is super conservative with Victorian fashion and strict rules surrounding dress and decorum. Yet it takes place in the future where most major cities have been destroyed by nuclear bombs. Weapons and armour are very advanced with everyone having a micro computer inserted in the palm of their hand. I found this mix odd and a little jarring, almost disjointed at times.

The story was quick and action-packed. Y...more

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Jan 13, 2012 Meredith rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: dnf, sci-fi

This was a DNF for me. No chemistry between the hero/heroine, and while I liked her take on the future she lost me with the whole “women dress in Victorian corset-y things.” There was definitely a “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep” vibe and she definitely cribbed a lot from that story. Considering that’s the only one of Dick’s novels I’ve read, I thought that was pretty interesting. Take a pass.

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May 04, 2009 Dana rated it 3 of 5 stars

Fallen is classified as paranormal romance but it could just as easily be urban fantasy. Actually, the fantasy elements in this book succeed far more than the romance. The world building is excellent and I liked the murder mystery too. Unfortunately, the characters and the romance were just average. I haven’t decided if I’ll read the next book in the series yet.

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Jun 28, 2010 Donna rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010-100-plus-books-read, 2010-50-new-authors

Really more of a 3 1/2 stars book. Interesting setting, great characters. But at times it was hard to follow. It was such a complex new world that it took some adjusting. Good writing though and interesting characters and plot so going to see what happens in book 2.

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Sep 22, 2011 Krista rated it 2 of 5 stars

I had a hard time getting into this book. The premise intrigued me, but there wasn't enough action to keep me interested. I think I'll pass on reading the sequel.

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Sep 30, 2008 Barbara rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance

Very disturbing book on many levels. The author's view of life in post-nuclear war world is very grim and depressing. Our hero, an angel who gives up his wings to come to Earth to help, is likeable and our heroine is feisty. The action of the book takes place over just a few days--not enough time for any kind of relationship to really develop. So, the lust rings true, but the romance doesn't. I don't think I will bother with the next two in the series.
However, even with all those marks against i...more

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Jan 08, 2010 Lynn Calvin added it

Amazon preorder,Amazon received

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Oct 29, 2010 Mitzi marked it as to-read

Shelves: a-own-tbr-k2

Won autographed copy

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Oct 06, 2009 Maya rated it 4 of 5 stars

so far - riveting dystopia, am ignoring other in-the-middle-of books to keep going with this one

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Sep 17, 2012 Jackie rated it 2 of 5 stars

I don't think this series is for me

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Apr 16, 2009 Sarai rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormalromance, dnf

Another book that was really good in theory but didn't work for me. Unable able to get into it though. The plot was interesting and I thought it had a great go but just didn't work for me.

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Feb 04, 2011 Linda rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal

I really wanted to like this book but I just couldn't. I had to make myself finish it.

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Jun 08, 2010 ✿Michelle✿ marked it as to-read

Shelves: angels-demons-immortals, sci-fi-futuristic, own-unread, on-hold

Putting this one on hold until I'm done with this month's challenges and group reads.

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Sep 22, 2012 Cecy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, romance, sci-fi, paranormal, angels

Got this book on a book trade. It was an easy read a bit confusing cause of the futuristic world.This is an okay book, storyline is so interest you can't put down. It's a book about angels and the future world and the anti-big government conspiracy theory type of thing. Most likely I'm gonna read the next book of the series just for fun.

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Jan 30, 2012 Kateri rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

So I'll admit I liked the world building A LOT in this book and as far as I was concerned the love story took a back seat to that. Not the most original romance I ever read, but I loved the world and am looking forward to reading more about it.

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May 19, 2013 Idelain marked it as to-read

May 18, 2013 Sjoukje marked it as to-read

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About Claire Delacroix

New York Times bestselling author Claire Delacroix sold her first book in 1992, an historical romance called THE ROMANCE OF THE ROSE. Since then, she has published over forty romance novels and novellas, and has also been published under the names Claire Cross and Deborah Cooke. She has an honours degree in history, with a focus on medieval studies. She is an avid reader of medieval vernacular lit...more

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Books by Claire Delacroix

The Beauty Bride (Jewels of Kinfairlie, #1)

To Weave a Web of Magic (Samaria Chronological Order #3.5)

The Rose Red Bride (Jewels of Kinfairlie, #2)

The Snow White Bride (Jewels of Kinfairlie, #3)

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Fallen (The Prometheus Project #1)

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