Deepak Chopra's the Angel is Near

Two American soldiers are carefully checking a church in Kosovo for mines when there is an explosion. However, what they find is not a bomb but a mysterious ethereal glow. The soldiers end up stateside, being questioned by army intelligence, who wonder whether the soldiers were blinded by aliens. In fact, the soldiers are convinced they saw a messenger from God. Soon after, a doctor rushes to help a neighbor who is apparently having a heart attack. The physician finds the man already dead. Within minutes, the Good Samaritan is inexplicably covered with blood and is arrested for murder. These odd events are connected because angels have come down to earth as messengers to try to bring peace and goodness to the world. It is through certain people that they will be able to spread the word of God and save the world. It's notable that the book is bylined as being ""created by""--not ""written by""--New Age guru/author Chopra and veteran anthologist Greenberg. However they ""created"" the novel, it seems closer to a dull '50s sci-fi pulp flick populated with stereotypical characters than to an inspiring tale of good and evil. (Aug.)