Customer Reviews

The Jesus Incident

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I can't think of a more terrifying world than Pandora, Herbert's world of weird and deadly animals and mutant clones, all created at the whim of Ship, the accidental god-machine from his novel Destination:Void. Again, Herbert places his poor charaters in a constant and dire struggle for survival, only this time it's not just humans who want to stay alive. The whole drama plays out under the watch of the sometimes benevolant, sometimes indifferent, but always inscrutable Ship, who has become man's (and clone's) computer-God of his own creation.

What foresight Herbert had to present such a world of biological science and ecological destruction gone mad that foreshadows our own time.

A real treat for wild sci-fi fans. Look for it in used book stores. It's worth it!

Not a review, just a notice that BILL RANSOM was the co-author with Frank Herbert on this book and the whole series. Amazon left my name off this display.

This book has all of Dune's intricacy of plot and character development but is a far more concise and elegant presentation. It's actually a sequel to Destination:Void, which I found to be interesting but definitely one of his lesser works. Subsequent books along this story line are pretty good too. I highly recommend that you read this book when you have time to finish it fairly quickly. Otherwise, you'll lose track of the characters and their individual plot lines. I once read through the entire SF section of a library (4 books a week for 2 years, ~400+ books) and this book is my favorite SF book.

Unlike Dune, this series has been out of print for some time. Shame! No one does it better than Herbert but Dune-Mania has left too much of his best work unread and unknown. Dune was a masterpiece, no question. But the series devolved into action novels - the work of creating his universe did not have to be re-done so the rest was just what happens next (and as Brian continues the series, what happened before). The Voidship series is different. Beginning with Destination: Void, which establishes the premise, each novel must reestablish the world in which it is set. Each set of characters has very new hurdles and new forms of intelligent life(? at least self-awareness) to deal with, each with their own world view. A good marketing bet would be to reintroduce these novels in paperback, capitalizing on the popularity of the Dune series. Let the new generation of sf readers discover the other worlds of Frank Herbert. This review refers to the series - Destination: Void, The Jesus Incident, The Lazarus Effect, and The Ascension Factor

if it were anyone else it would be five stars. not quite as intricate or as evolved as dune but just as enjoyable. highly imaginitve at any rate. we do see recurring themes in his work though. the ideas of religion as a human nessicity and the struugle for surrvival against enviroment. all set to a intelligent and imaginitive sci fi background.

Raja Flaherty (of Destination Void) returns to find a people obssessed with worShip. This is a tale of a very disturbing future on a planet which makes Arrakis seem cushy. As complex as Dune and with some characters far more repugnant than the Harkonnens, here is a bizarre and shocking account of a malevolent/benevolent force shaping man's evolution. Very enjoyable

Just wanted to add my 2 cents - I think Frank Herbert and Bill Ransom did a fantastic job on this book. The Jesus Incident is my favorite. There are many different issues in the book including environmental issues and moral/ethical issues to name just a couple. Are clones "human"? Are "humans" better than clones? Do clones have "human" rights? How do you define intelligence? Is it possible for what appears to be ocean plant life to be intelligent? The authors entwine all these issues, including the question of whether or not Ship is God, into a wonderful sci-fi world and a great story. Wish they'd make a movie out of this one!

Great book by Bill Ransom and Frank Herbert. Great world building, complex story and fascinating characters. This book and the two sequels rank up the with the best there is... Highly recommended. If you liked the Dune world building, you will like this too. Thanks to Brian Herbert, Bill Ransom and Kevin Anderson for making this book available again.

By far, the best science fiction/fantasy book I have ever read. I have kept a copy of this one for the past twenty years to pass it on to my own kids. Fast paced, yet intellectually stimulating, The Jesus Incident makes you think about the meaning of life, and the enrichment that is possible, even through hardship and confusion. Those people that start with certainty end with doubt. Those that start with doubt end with certainty. Magic is part of life, and we are magical beings. The book encourages one to look at the awe, wonder, and sacredness of all things in life. Spirit Journeys: Freeing the Soul in this Life and Beyond, Healing Thoughts: Applying Therapeutic Shamanism in Your Daily Life

Any fan of the original Dune chapters should definitely check out this book. Herbert had such an excellent ability for crafting alien worlds... complete with mysterious yet realistic-seeming lifeforms and ecosystem. This is beyond just a Sci-Fi book tho... as with Dune, Herbert does an amazing job of dealing with human nature, the fear of the unknown, and of course, religion.

Unfortunately, I personally feel that the sequels to this book taper off in terms of quality.