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The Book of Thomas: Volume One: Heaven
by
Robert Boyczuk (Goodreads Author)
"The mind is its own place and in itself, can make a Heaven of Hell, a Hell of Heaven." — John Milton, Paradise Lost
In the beginning, the Church ruled all the Spheres of the Apostles. But that was millennia ago, before the origins of this massive, artificial realm were forgotten. Now, drought, plague and war afflict the Spheres that make up the world of Man, fragmenting so...more
In the beginning, the Church ruled all the Spheres of the Apostles. But that was millennia ago, before the origins of this massive, artificial realm were forgotten. Now, drought, plague and war afflict the Spheres that make up the world of Man, fragmenting so...more
Paperback, 242 pages
Published
November 20th 2012
by Chizine Publications
(first published October 16th 2012)
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Disappointing. It is the first of a trilogy, and I will not read the others. Though full of religious themes, it is all Roman Catholic, and the author cannot decide whether he is for or against it. This leaves the book lukewarm, tepid. In addition, ever since Canticle For Leibowitz, it seems half the "science fiction" books dealing with these feel necessary to go medieval. It is tiring. Finally, I guess [SPOILER ALERT] I am supposed to feel interest in or sorry for a person whose first real and...more
The Book of Thomas: Volume One: Heaven
by Robert Boyczuk is set in a medieval world ruled by the Catholic Church from Rome, but that world is not ours: it’s a built world of concentric spheres, with heaven the outermost sphere and hell the innermost, and Rome is in the sphere just below Lower Heaven, where the angels live. Its inhabitants accept this state of things as much as medieval scholars in our world accepted the pre-Copernican view of the universe.
The Book of Thomas kind of reads like a...more
The Book of Thomas kind of reads like a...more
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I'm a fan of Bob Boyczuk's other work (Horror Story and Other Horror Stories and Nexus: Ascension) and so was very anxious to dig into his Bildungsroman slash road-novel, The Book of Thomas. Like Nexus, this novel is deliberately-paced sci fi soaked in Boyczuk's trademark uncompromising melancholy. Unlike Nexus, where Boyczuk leaned heavily on the established language of post-Alien/Blade Runner sci fi (to great effect, I might add), "Thomas" contains an entirely unique world at once ancient and...more
This book is excellent. Crisp writing, driven characters, a great world and a large serving of twisted Catholic mythology. Seriously, if you like SF or just aren't an idiot, read this. The best book I've read in years.
It started off really great, but once it got to the angels and their secret mission it just became dumb. Disappointed in the direction it took.
A purposefully problematic book in some ways; but, deeply engaging, dark, and strange. The images and subtext worked well for me as a now atheist veteran of Catholic schools.
I had nearly forgotten it was the first of two, and when I reached the end I nearly yelled in outrage that I had to wait for the next one to be written. (Disclaimer: I work for the publisher of this novel.)
I had nearly forgotten it was the first of two, and when I reached the end I nearly yelled in outrage that I had to wait for the next one to be written. (Disclaimer: I work for the publisher of this novel.)
One of my wins from Goodreads/firstreads
I ended up having a hard time following the story and keeping up. It was very slow for me and just couldn't hold my attention. I just don't think it was the book for me. I'm going to pass it on to my friends and see if it's more their taste.
I ended up having a hard time following the story and keeping up. It was very slow for me and just couldn't hold my attention. I just don't think it was the book for me. I'm going to pass it on to my friends and see if it's more their taste.
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Recommended to Catherine by:
Jonathan Crowe
Shelves:
fiction,
sci-fi-fantasy
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The Book of Thomas, Volume 1: Heaven
Forthcoming, Nov, 2012
Horror Story and Other Horror Stories
Robert Boyczuk is a supremely talented short-story writer.
–Cory Doctorow on BoingBoing
"Boyczuk's memorable debut offers 19 horror stories that accentuate the emotional-and often horrid - upheavals men and women suffer from while searching for love....Boyczuk's stories are uniformly excellent...."
-...more
More about Robert Boyczuk...
Forthcoming, Nov, 2012
Horror Story and Other Horror Stories
Robert Boyczuk is a supremely talented short-story writer.
–Cory Doctorow on BoingBoing
"Boyczuk's memorable debut offers 19 horror stories that accentuate the emotional-and often horrid - upheavals men and women suffer from while searching for love....Boyczuk's stories are uniformly excellent...."
-...more
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