Angie Lofthouse

'Consecrated' by Angie Lofthouse is a character-driven novella that serves as a prequel story (one of three, I believe) to the author's end-of-the-world SF thriller, 'Defenders of the Covenant' where humanity is battling android soldiers from another place or time. The concept is a spiritually themed "War of the Worlds" where Latter-day Saint faith and characters play front and center (while the actual origin of the invaders - and the reason for their invasion - isn't, sadly, fully revealed).

Realizing that the LDS religious framework is central to the plot helps the reader understand and empathize with the angst and conflict that Carly, the protagonist, is going through in her decision to give up her baby in order for her Church to build a Refuge community to withstand the alien soldiers. Although, as with the android invasion, I wasn't quite certain as to the motivation and practicality of this move, I assume that may be answered in the later novel which features Carly's teenaged daughter as she faces her own struggles in a world gone to war.

So while there is the "human vs machine" adventure that makes this story a bit of an action piece, the real tension is in the "person vs self" plot that focuses on the inner turmoil of Carly and her relationship to her husband, bishop, and friends. It's a well written story, although somewhat of a slow burn imo, that captures the interiority of Carly's faith, fear, and heart-rending decision making process. If you enjoy (non-proselytizing) religious speculative fiction that balances the outer and inner life of the main character in an overwhelmingly difficult setting, then you'll likely enjoy 'Consecrated.'… (meer)