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The Queer Book of Revelation
In a future dominated by technology, John grapples with the oppressive regime of The Federation, which promotes emotion suppression and AI control. Assigned to infiltrate a colony of Feelers — humans resistant to AI influence — John encounters Joshua, sparking forbidden feelings. Meanwhile, approached by time travelers, John faces a choice: go back in time to prevent technological tyranny or continue serving The Federation in ignorance.
256 pages, Paperback
Published August 1, 2024
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44 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
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August 26, 2024I have no idea how to rate this because I am still unsure as to what the fuck I just read. It’s the book with the kind of audacity and sheer sense of bonkers that you just plunge forward into the reading experience, hoping to submerge … You don’t quite, with this one. I will definitely have to reread it and give it much more thought. The line near the end, ‘the time traveller had been sentenced to death’, reminds me of ‘Behold the Man’ by Michael Moorcock. With lots more AI. And saliva.
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October 14, 2025DNF
I attended a 2024 Woordfees panel discussion with the author where he had a bit of a rant about "atheists being morally corrupt Elon Musk supporters" and said that we were "the root of many current socio-political problems globally" when asked a question about how he balances being religious and queer.
I thus put the book down and did not finish it.
Imagine confusing atheists with Christian fundamentalists…
I attended a 2024 Woordfees panel discussion with the author where he had a bit of a rant about "atheists being morally corrupt Elon Musk supporters" and said that we were "the root of many current socio-political problems globally" when asked a question about how he balances being religious and queer.
I thus put the book down and did not finish it.
Imagine confusing atheists with Christian fundamentalists…
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November 16, 2024#TheQueerBookOfRevelation – Siya Khumalo
#Kwela
The term ‘new’ is indicative of the existence of something older, something that has gone before. In 2499AD New Laodicea is home to John, an employee of the Federation, a body promoting AI control and the suppression of emotions. The sun has been blocked allegedly to protect the inhabitants of their planet, and Earth has been placed in storage, preserved in terms of the provisions of the Old Earth Act. Rumours regarding Earth circulate freely: ‘…some denied that there’d ever been humans native to Earth. They said Earth was discovered when space explorers aboard intergalactic spaceships, the Vasco da Gama and the Jan van Riebeeck, used it as a refreshment station.’ (39)
In contrast with New Laodicea, New Goshen, is home to rebel humans opposed to AI influence, and is a part of the planet where the sun has not been blocked out, named for the original Goshen where the settlers had light even when the rest of Egypt suffered from darkness.
Residents of the 8000AD artificial planet, Planet, have mastered time travelling, giving rise to insurance companies specializing in protecting ‘…their clients’ present from the interference of other time travellers in the past.’ (38) They have become aware of an incidence referred to as the ‘narrowing’, a phrase comprising historical events with similar patterns collapsing into a single storyline. When they send John back in time to prevent technological tyranny, the ‘narrowing’ causes historical confusion, to the amusement of the reader.
The journey to the past commences with Abram in 1888BC, and proceeds to Moses’ confrontation with Pharaoh, where his demand to let his people go, evolves into a debate arguing colonisation, pollution, xenophobia, gender-based-violence, and capitalism. A psychiatrist, Dr Mengele, is quoted to have said that his patient, Moses, is suffering from Schizophrenia, and, by the time that Peter denies Jesus in 33AD, a horn blared, announcing the change of guard.
Humour makes way for uncomfortable truths regarding the cyclic nature of history, such as: ‘When black men overthrew racism, many of them replaced it with misogyny. Former African liberators became dictators who bought their suits, cars and medical treatment from the former colonisers.’ (195)
The novel is a blend of speculative fiction and satire, providing an alternative interpretation to the future predicted by the book of Revelation, whilst creating a past where the tracks of an AI version of the Anunnaki are visible.
#Uitdieperdsebek
#Kwela
The term ‘new’ is indicative of the existence of something older, something that has gone before. In 2499AD New Laodicea is home to John, an employee of the Federation, a body promoting AI control and the suppression of emotions. The sun has been blocked allegedly to protect the inhabitants of their planet, and Earth has been placed in storage, preserved in terms of the provisions of the Old Earth Act. Rumours regarding Earth circulate freely: ‘…some denied that there’d ever been humans native to Earth. They said Earth was discovered when space explorers aboard intergalactic spaceships, the Vasco da Gama and the Jan van Riebeeck, used it as a refreshment station.’ (39)
In contrast with New Laodicea, New Goshen, is home to rebel humans opposed to AI influence, and is a part of the planet where the sun has not been blocked out, named for the original Goshen where the settlers had light even when the rest of Egypt suffered from darkness.
Residents of the 8000AD artificial planet, Planet, have mastered time travelling, giving rise to insurance companies specializing in protecting ‘…their clients’ present from the interference of other time travellers in the past.’ (38) They have become aware of an incidence referred to as the ‘narrowing’, a phrase comprising historical events with similar patterns collapsing into a single storyline. When they send John back in time to prevent technological tyranny, the ‘narrowing’ causes historical confusion, to the amusement of the reader.
The journey to the past commences with Abram in 1888BC, and proceeds to Moses’ confrontation with Pharaoh, where his demand to let his people go, evolves into a debate arguing colonisation, pollution, xenophobia, gender-based-violence, and capitalism. A psychiatrist, Dr Mengele, is quoted to have said that his patient, Moses, is suffering from Schizophrenia, and, by the time that Peter denies Jesus in 33AD, a horn blared, announcing the change of guard.
Humour makes way for uncomfortable truths regarding the cyclic nature of history, such as: ‘When black men overthrew racism, many of them replaced it with misogyny. Former African liberators became dictators who bought their suits, cars and medical treatment from the former colonisers.’ (195)
The novel is a blend of speculative fiction and satire, providing an alternative interpretation to the future predicted by the book of Revelation, whilst creating a past where the tracks of an AI version of the Anunnaki are visible.
#Uitdieperdsebek
March 28, 2025
I felt like I got only 30% of this novel, and it was generally a bonker time: part Matrix, part retelling of religious text, a sprinkle of a gay love story and generally a queer time. The copious amount of exposition is what ultimately got me as it really dragged in the 2nd half, and all the jumps got quite confusing at that point. This would benefit from some heavy editing so the remaining ideas have room to breath.
2/5
2/5
June 28, 2025
Every now and then a book comes along that challenges your idea of a genre and The Queer Book of Revelation did that captivatingly for science fiction. It explores the power of religion and technology with lines often blurring, highlighting how we as humans are still in awe of the unknown.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews