The story of a man who alters reality forever by virtue of his loneliness; an odyssey of poetic justice in a selfish and apathetic world. A coming of age moral play with an ending that is no longer merely the stuff of science fiction, but a possible technological result of humankind's cruel indifference.
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About the Author
Nicolas Valenzuela was born in Minneapolis, and spent most of his childhood moving from place to place. His family finally settled in Seattle when he was 14, where he continued to live until December of 2000. He then quit his job of 16 years, sold his house, loaded up his 1969 Volkswagen Beetle, and drove 2500 miles east to Columbus. While in Ohio, he wrote Absolute Infinity.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Message between the lines,
This review is from: Absolute Infinity (Paperback)
I also came by this book via an odd anonymous letter. None of the other reviewers mentioned specifics regarding profound allegory, but by their responses I think they must have at least sensed something important was being said beyond the surface text. The author used a "worldly" secular environment to underscore spiritual concepts. He employed a lot of theological symbolism, even to the point of acronyms and anagrams, which were obscure enough that I wonder how many I still haven't discovered.
Diego (the main character) is born to a girl named Mary. She's a street whore as opposed to a virginal bride, so already the idea of setting aside dogmatic beliefs about God is being presented. Even if she had been a virgin, the crude circumstances of Diego's conception remove all resemblance to Christ's particulars. Diego resides in the fictional city of Wormwood, Ohio. The unusual name is prophetic; Wormwood is mentioned in the New Testament as a star that falls to earth, causing many people to die. In the next chapter there is a Cub Scout meeting (referred to as "Pup Scout") where Diego breaks a piñata, providing goodies to the other boys, who wrestle over them. Diego doesn't join in, but instead watches in silence. Later in his bedroom, he takes the ruined leftover candy the den father gave him, and drops it in the garbage. I think this early scene illustrates the moral of the entire work, which has much to do with the importance of personal sacrifice over selfishness, while still maintaining dignity. I found the writing to be cogent. The general scarcity of ornate diction might disappoint spoon-fed or snobbish readers. The author's voice was confident and his prose clean. Descriptions were sometimes detailed, other times brief. Action usually took precedence over meditative pauses. In terms of content, his vision was occasionally disturbing...persons easily offended should take note. He didn't sweep objectionable matters under the rug, he shined a spotlight on them. Although I disagreed with one specific element of the book's philosophy, my opposition had no relevance to the author's ability to effectively tell the tale. His unique interpretation of bible mythology is far more worthy of mention. He managed to combine technology, biblical tenets and the classic struggle of good vs. evil into a surprising mix of harsh secular logic. All in all, the story was compelling, the characters memorable. The original concept (I can't reveal without spoiling) was surprising when presented at the end. I'm an English professor; I gave it four stars because I think there's always room for improvement. Nevertheless, the effort was more imaginative than ninety percent of what comes across my desk. For a first book, I think Mr. Valenzuela has plenty of which to be proud.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A must read..not for the weak minded,
By Angel K "Angel" (Oklahoma) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Absolute Infinity (Paperback)
Absolute Infinity is a novel that captures you in the beginning and holds on tight until the end. A very thought provoking book in which it reaches into the realm of our own comfort and makes you think outside of that comfort.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A must read for sure!,
By
This review is from: Absolute Infinity (Paperback)
At the end of the book I sat back and said "Wow." I couldn't put it down. The characters were believable and likable, the plot was interesting and took some twists I wasn't expecting, and I absolutely loved it. It really made me think, not only about the nature of people, but about the nature of the world we live in and where we go from here. Can't wait for Valenzuela's next book!
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