Customer Reviews

Infinite Space, Infinite God

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

To travel where no one else has gone before might be the appeal to regular readers of science-fiction. I'm not one of those. I prefer to focus on all the drama that resides right here on earth. So, when I decided to purchase a copy of Infinite Space, Infinite God, the 2007 EPPIE award-winning Catholic science-fiction anthology edited by Karina and Robert Fabian, it had more to do with my curiosity over how they would mesh the Catholic Church into science fiction than with my burning desire to read it. And I have to admit, I approached the task of reading it with a hint of trepidation. What if I got to page 3 and couldn't go any further? Could a book of this nature appeal to a reader whose only experience with science-fiction is the television shows Star Trek and Star Trek the Next Generation?

The answer is a resounding, YES!

Never before have I regretted the end of a story as much as I did after I finished each of the fifteen stories included in Infinite Space, Infinite God. Each story drew me in with the depth of its characters, uniqueness of its plot, and its powerful endings. I never knew what to except in the next story, but I knew I wouldn't be disappointed.

Infinite Space, Infinite God opens up with The Harvest by Lori Z. Scott. A smart choice since it is one of the most thought-provoking stories. Dr. Barry Martinez joins the Moon Project Base, living amongst a mix of humans and HuNomes--genetically altered people stemming from the Human Genome project. While HuNome #17 longs to be free of her oppressors, the Catholic Church debates whether the HuNomes have souls--making the harvesting of their organs and birthing of new HuNomes unethical. Dr. Martinez's exposure to the HuNomes he does his best to avoid leave him with some questions too. It it those questions that put him in danger and the answers which allow him to find his true calling.

Our Daily Bread by Robert and Karina Fabian finds Deacon Ray McHenry struggling to decide if he will continue his work at the Blair Mining Station or return to earth and his wife, Connie. When the supply of eucharistic hosts is lost, Deacon Ray must do everything in is power to help his congregation accept the loss of the most important symbol of the Last Supper. Attempts to secure a new supply are unsuccessful, but suddenly new hosts keep appearing. Is it a miracle? Is it the work of a good samaritan? And will Deacon Ray ever be able to leave the Blair Mining Station after the curiosity over the duplicating hosts increases the size of the congregation?

Ken Pick and Alan Loewen collaborate on an intriguing tale filled with mystery and suspense. Mask of the Ferret brings together a variety of humans and lifeforms on the Free Trader Coventry--a freight runner bound for Alorya. Its passengers include Father Eric Heidler, a human woman and her daughter, a Selkie, and a construct named Jill Noir. Unbeknownest to the Captain and her crew, someone has snuck an ancient artifact onboard Coventry and he/she/it is being tracked by an agent of the Order of St. Dismas, who is posing as a passenger. As the artifact slowly destroys the minds of the Coventry's crew and passengers, it is up to Father Eric to find a way to help all of them, including the one passenger who has put them all at risk.

In August, when I interviewed Karina during the Infinite Space, Infinite God Virtual Book Tour, I asked her why such diverse stories worked in this anthology. She sited the talented writers, their different approaches to science-fiction, and their varied science-fiction styles.

While I have to agree, I would also say that another reason Infinite Space, Infinite God is winning awards and garnering fabulous reviews, is that all the stories are about more than the Catholic Church and outer space. When broken down to their barest bones, these stories are all about people--their relationships with one another, how their beliefs affect their personal and professional relationships, and the impact that faith has on believers and non-believers alike.

I highly recommend Infinite Space, Infinite God to all my readers. You don't have to be a Catholic or a lover of science-fiction to enjoy these stories; you just have to be a living, breathing person who struggles and appreciates their place in the world.

The concept of Karina and Robert Fabian's Infinite Space, Infinite God, an anthology of Catholic sci-fi, was an intriguing one--Catholicism and science . . . and science fiction to boot? come on, everyone knows that the two are incompatible--remember Galileo, people? Was this a group of writer-heretics? Oh goodie--rebels--that was enough to gain my attention.

Of course, I am being facetious here. I write Biblical cyberpunk and receive a similar reaction whenever I mention it! And, so to my review . . .

The backbone of ISIG is the editorial commentary. The Fabians introduce ISIG with a commentary on science and the Catholic church. While there are those Christian legalists who would dissect the Fabian's argument, I found it interesting, however, unnecessary to apologize for writing sci-fi, whatever one's beliefs. It is fiction, fantasy, written by authors glorifying Him with their talents. But I digress. Within the book itself, the Fabians introduce each segment of stories with thought-provoking discussion: "The Catholic Church and Humanity," ". . . Evangelism," ". . . its Servants," etc. The result is a well-organized survey of well-crafted and entertaining Catholic sci-fi.


Some of my favorite stories in ISIG:

In Karina Fabian's "Interstellar Calling," Frankie, a sixteen-year-old is tired and disillusioned with her life--and like many folks in this position, blames God. The author lulls the reader seemingly into a romance story or at best, a growing-up story. But Fabian changes gears smoothly to provide the heroine a chance at a cool life-changing event.

Every anthology needs a good spy story and in "The Mask of the Ferret" (Ken Pick and Alan Loewen) we have an intergallactic version of secret agent (priest) on the trail of a fugitive smuggler. The ancient artifact the priest seeks is dangerous cargo for the interstellar craft and its unusual group of travelers and crew. The storyline is enjoyable and the characters a real kick (sorry real fans of intergallactic-ness) though I have to say my imagination isn't developed well enough to clearly envision the disparate group assembled on board!

"A Cruel and Unusual Punishment" (Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff) is the fascinating journey of a Sein Finn soldier, slated for death row, who gains redepemption through the Zagorsky experiment. A must read!

And finally, Simon Morden's "Little Madeleine." I was eager to read a sample of Dr. Morden's work. I'd recently read his essay Sex, Death and Christian Fiction and wanted to determine for myself where his fiction fit . . . in the 10% or the ninety (you'll have to read his essay to decipher this code) of Christian fiction. Like the rest of the stories contained in ISIG, "Little Madeleine" did not disappoint. The concept of the Joans, warrior-nuns who protect God's servants, is pretty darn cool. Morden is a talented writer who sends the CBA church-lady-protective filters flying, a la Little Maddeleine herself.


The Fabians have amassed a fine group of writers in ISIG. Besides being entertaining, these stories provoke thought, educate us non-Catholics, and give the reader a new take on commonly held suppositions about the the Catholic church. Pick up a copy of Infinite Space, Infinite God and see for yourself--but careful, this is hot stuff!

Religious-themed science fiction is not a new genre, from classics like A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter Miller Jr., to nearly anything from Gene Wolfe. One of the best known collections was edited by Fr. Andrew M. Greeley called Sacred Visions. Yet this new volume of 15 short stories in the genre of Catholic Science Fiction is a treat for the fan of either genres. The authors tackle themes of morality, science, and the role of religion in humanity's future in new and engaging ways.

The authors present a future where both the church and science play roles; both are integral to human development and human self -understanding. Yet occasionally the two do clash. Lori Z. Scott's The Harvest, about a colony on the moon, with a Doctor priest who tries to balance healing both the body and the soul is one example. But how do you minister to a soul in a cloned HuNome who was grown for organ transplant purposes? (HuNomes are sub-humans with animal gene splices to better prepare the organs for transplants and as labourers building our colonies in space.) Adrienne Ray's story Hopkins' Well about settlements on Mars, where the Military is trying to maintain control of the planet against crazy Catholics that are part of a larger group of Christians, is another example. The final selection is A Cruel and Unusual Punishment about the Sinn Fein, and a man who calls himself a soldier while most of the world considers him a terrorist. Written around the Stations of the Cross, it is a story of the death penalty and an alternative that may have been worse. It is one of the most powerful pieces. Each of the stations begins with a quote from famous authors: William Blake, Thomas Merton, Evelyn Waugh and others, tying this vision of the future to our past.

This collection is great for introducing a reader to a wide range of authors in a short breadth, some whose styles you will love, some you will not and some you will be undecided about. The advantage of such a collection is you can discover new authors whose writings you will wish to pursue in greater depth.

As such, this collection will be a treat to any fan of Science Fiction, a religious Catholic, or just someone interested in the questions of spirituality and our future as we move forward through the millennium.

Like any Christian Science Fiction, the idea of Catholic SF seems to be a contradiction in terms--perhaps more so given the infamous stands the Catholic Church has taken against against scientific theory all those centuries ago. But, Galileo's trial is ancient history and for the last 1000 years, Catholic scientists (including priest, monks and even some saints) have received encouragement and support from the church. It is no wonder, then, that writers have become fascinated with the concept of how the Catholic church will meet the challenges of the future--and SF is just the vehicle for this.

This 2007 EPPIE award-winning anthology includes SF concepts from time travel to transporter technology, genetic engineering to alien abduction, interstellarcolonization and uncontrolled inter-city violence told from a Catholic world view. All of the ISIG short stories are well-crafted and entertaining--the latter a real surprise for me considering that I do not number among the millions of sci-fi fans in this world. The range of intensity in this volume kept me reading because I couldn't predict what I'd discover when I turned another page.

We see the teenager Frankie off to evangelize to alien beings; we sit with Saint Francis of Assisi as he ministers to the needs of a mannaro; we make the pilgrimmage alongside an IRA 'terrorist' as he makes his way through the stations to enlightment. The three described above: "Interstellar Calling," "Canticle of the Wolf," and "A Cruel and Unusual Punishment" were my favourites.

And one more thing, it is pretty darn refreshing to read good fiction that does not haul out the fictional stereotypes of predatory priests or knuckle-rapping nuns.

I thoroughly enjoyed all of the stories included in Infinite Space Infinite God and liked the fact that they forced me to ponder and question.

I recently read Starlight 3 and it was terrible. "Science fiction" but mostly fantasy, the stories were mostly idea sketches rather than stories. E.g. "What if God is arbitrary and capricious and we are supposed to love him because he is the source of all pain, and what if the world were filled with the random visitations of angels" ... ok. Interesting idea, but not much story there (heck, not much of an idea either). Lots of that sort of sketch, a good reminder as to why I don't read many sf short story collections any more.

On the other hand, I have to compare Starlight 3 to Infinite Space, Infinite God which is moving. It is a collection of science fiction stories by Catholics, written with religion as a strong influence. But they are stories first. Some of them are very moving, some are very touching, but they are stories. The concept sketch gets out of the way on the title page and the rest of the volume is solid stories.

A good example is the one "furry" story. A long time ago there were hard SF stories about genespliced animal based sentients that examined themes such as race, freedom, hope and humanity. They were not excuses for porn or slash or mary sue incursions, but real stories that were intended to highlight the human condition and the reality of humanity. Infinite Space, Infinite God includes a "furry" story, but the story extrapolates current trends, blends them to address real human issues while telling a real story, in a believable setting, without being distracted by extraneous sexual or violent themes. Excellent work, clearly executed.

The same is true of the urban punk story. The story is strong and overwhelms the distopian setting, creating a real experience that is memorable.

I'd review the rest of the stories, they are pretty much just a strong, just as complete, just as moving. There isn't enough room to do them all justice, but this book deserves five stars.

Anthology, Christian SF,dited by Karen and Robert Fabian. Especially fond of Karen and Robert Fabian's writing. Have not read all the stories yet, but I highly recommend this anthology! It is particularly interesting to Catholics who might wonder how the Church might fare in the future; especially with other planets, space stations and what we consider to be alien life on those planets. A very enjoyable read for us science fiction aficionados!

I have never been a great reader of science fiction. Truth be told, I've never been very interested in what I'm supposedly missing. Walking into the sci-fi/fantasy section of a bookstore leaves me feeling cold and alien, makes my breath come in shallow bursts, and turns the world a strange dark gray. It's just so unfamiliar. I don't recognize old friends beckoning me from the shelves, and I don't feel any sense of kinship with the strange premises that I find on the back cover synopses.

That may have all changed.

When Karina Fabian emailed a group list I'm on, asking for reviewers for her and her husband's new Catholic sci-fi anthology, I figured I had nothing to lose. I've been getting my toes wet with sci-fi, after all, and so many of the great minds in my life are avid sci-fi readers that I can't help but stick my curious little nose into some of their books.

So when I bring Infinite Space, Infinite God to you, it is not as one who is an expert on sci-fi or even much of a fan. I bring it to you as a fellow reader, as one whose life is faithfully immersed in books and whose favorite pastime involves hours spent in a world of someone else's making. (Perhaps the next best thing to the reading of great books is the sharing of them, but that might just be my extreme extrovert coming to the surface.)

It's no surprise to me, after having devoured the whole thing once and having made plans to share it with at least two or three avid readers I know, that this won the 2007 EPPIE. It's no surprise that the other reviews I've read have raved about it. I'm raving myself. Now, granted, I'm a Catholic. So from that perspective, this book is the best of my favorite things - teachings of the Church and wonderings of the mind in the form of fiction. I don't know much about the realm of science fiction, but the adventure and the unexpected come together over and over, through 13 different authors' imaginations. Some of the premises seem far-fetched, at first, to consider. And yet, when I found myself in the world the author had made - worlds that are strangely familiar to our current time and place - I could only nod and see exactly how they reached that point.

ISIG is divided into sections, and I found this delightful. I traveled from some of the scariest considerations I've ever read in fiction - regarding genetic engineering and what it means to be human and have a soul - to what evangelism means in a truly universal sense. Just what will it take to be canonized in a universe that includes other worlds and other forms of travel? Who are the poorest of the poor and the tossed aside once we have modified our way into a whole new existence?

The authors and the editors of ISIG have woven a tapestry of applied Catholic teaching and current Catholic questioning. Even as we debate stem cell research and fight the horrors of abortion in our own time, these men and women are pushing the boundaries and blazing into the next set of ethical dilemmas we stand to face.

Is there more fiction like this? I'm certainly inspired to look. It has been among the most terrifying reading I've done, and also among the most invigorating. It has filled my mind with possibilities and hope, even as it made me consider the eternal importance of what we do when we profess our faith and live our lives as God has called us.

Infinite Space, Infinite God, edited by Karian and Rob Fabian, is an anthology of Sci-Fi stories organized in seven chapters. Each chapter begins with an explanation of some Catholic issues with a brief summary of the stories and how the characters dealt with them. It is proper to mention that the reader needs to be prepared for a ride into a world beyond their imagination lead by a group of very crafty writers. Many of the stories have open ends, which makes me think the authors have a sequel or a series of stories in mind.

I have chosen several stories to tease your curiosity and encourage you to get a copy of the book, buckle up, and enjoy these adventures through space as you have never done before!

The book cover, created by Kurt Ozinga, merged the concept of infinity between space and God above all. God is inside the Blessed Sacrament, a Catholic form of worship. The cover gives the reader a hint of the book's content: Sci-Fi with a Catholic twist.

The story "Our Daily Bread," written by the Fabians reflects the book cover. In this story the authors explained in a profound and eloquent manner the Catholic practice of Eucharist Adoration and the blessing that comes with this practice. The miracle of the multiplication of the breads and fishes is harmoniously woven in the story. It illustrates without a doubt the meaning of the phrase, "God always provides."

Some stories incorporate futuristics and modern themes, such as human cloning, artificially creating humans for spare parts, colonization, missionary work, and government attitude toward religion. "Hopkins's Well" is a fine example of military duty, teletransporting, and religious colonies on Mars. The open end makes you hope for a sequel since it gives you a glance at the after life with the Sci-Fi twist!

What do a "construct," an artificial, a thief, and a detective priest as your ultimate P.I. have in common? A "construct" and an "artificial" are half-animal and half-human creatures created by human. Curious about it? Then I suggest you jump start your space travel experience and ride aboard the Coventry and join the crew on an intense mystery story on the "Mask of the Ferret."

The consequences of religious fanaticism is the prime theme of the stories: The "Host of the Envoy" and "Understanding." On the "Host of the Envoy," Luke, the main character, finds himself lost in space and encounters a colony ship struggling to return home. He is perceived by the religious leader of the ship as the "One" who will save them and lead them back to Earth. The leader must be ready for a big surprise and at the end the reader will want more, more, and more!

"Understanding" takes you to the mind of a killer who is desperate and soaked with confusion and anger toward the Church, which once alienated him because he is genetically engineered. The end proclaims God's unconditional love for all of us.

"Canticle of the Wolf " is a twist to the status-quo of the big-cunning wolf story. It takes you to a world of time travel and anamorphosis.

The last two stories are a combination of spy work and conviction. "Far Traveler" shows how science experiments could end surprisingly if conducted by the wrong person. How far are we as a society are willing to go in the name of science? That question is properly addressed and answered in this story.

"A Cruel and Unusual Punishment" is the crowned jewel of the book. It is an up-to-date approach to the traditional station of the cross to reflect over the concept of death from the point of view of an inmate on death row. The story begins with the First Station and a quote from other writers and philosophers as a prelude to each situation on this story. It shows how personal conviction, sin, repentance, and redemption are all annulled by God's unconditional love and forgiveness.

Review written by the author of The Window To My Soul : My Walk With Jesus