Letters from the Flesh [Hardcover]

Marcos Donnelly (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 29, 2004

Letters from the Flesh, the second book by new SF novelist Marcos Donnelly, sets a breathtaking pace, tackling far-reaching themes like evolution, fundamentalism, quantum realities, and the very core of human nature. The novel is a fictional collection of two sets of letters united by a single secret, but separated by two thousand years: - the first-century epistles of a non-physical alien entrapped in the body of St. Paul the Apostle, accidentally triggering the birth of Christianity; - the emails of microbiologist Dr. Lillian Oberland, a young college adjunct writing to her cousin Michael, a public school biology teacher facing the wrath of Creationist parents. The letters reveal a relationship far deeper than passing coincidences-and signal that cousin Michael's unexpected conversion to fundamentalism might have interspecies consequences that cross the millennia.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

C. S. Lewis' 1942 theological fantasy The Screwtape Letters gave us the letters of an elder demon to his nephew, advising the young devil how to manipulate a mortal into falling from grace. Donnelly cleverly echoes the design and themes of Lewis' classic, albeit in two sets of alternating letters. The first set is composed by an extraterrestrial living on Earth in the time of Christ; the second consists of a microbiologist's e-mails to her cousin, a public-school biology teacher. The sardonic spins Donnelly puts on Lewis' Christian message arise from the happenstances that the ET has accidentally invaded the body of Saul of Tarsus, who--unwittingly, in this context--then gives rise to modern Christianity, and the microbiologist is a pro-evolution Darwinian battling Creationist parents. Donnelly masterfully interweaves suspenseful confrontations and theological debate into both time-frames while wittily demonstrating that the worldviews of science and religion aren't as divergent as they seem. Some few readers may find its subject matter offensive, but this is an entertaining and thought-provoking book. Carl Hays
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

"A biting and highly entertaining intellectual delight." -SF Weekly

"A compelling reading experience. . . . Those who can embrace Donnelly's inspired use of religious backdrop will find two genuinely personal stories that offer unexpected revelations." -scifidimension.com

"An unexpected delight." -Locus Magazine

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Robert J. Sawyer Books; 1 edition (March 29, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0889953023
• ISBN-13: 978-0889953024
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 6.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,672,796 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Make room on your shelf next to Morrow, Blish and Miller, June 15, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Letters from the Flesh (Hardcover)

SF has always had a fascination with the tension between religion and science. The result has been some of the most intelligent, literary and enduring novels ever written in the genre. Donnelly has written such a novel in "Letters from the Flesh".

Two seemingly separate but resonant plots move you through an examination of what it means to believe and what it takes to be a believer. But watch carefully, because Donnelly has as much to say about scientific dogma as he does religious belief. This author obviously understands and sympathizes with believers of both.

But this novel is not a dry intellectual exercise. Donnelly's tightly written plot moves at an almost blistering pace, taking you from the crowded streets of ancient Damascus to a media-driven riot in modern America, delivering you at an unexpected resolution that is surprisingly tender.

Sometimes outrageous, always brilliantly executed and well-written, this novel is well worth the read.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fresh Voice, June 15, 2004

By 

Kent Pollard (Saskatoon, SK, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Letters from the Flesh (Hardcover)

I'm always pleased when I find a fresh voice in Science Fiction. With the maturing of the genre, and the resultant explosion in availability, they have become few and far between. In "Letters from the Flesh", Donnelly tackles one of the cornerstones of Science Fiction, Religion, and does so both with a flair and a keen insight. Told in the form of two stories, one historical, one modern, it gives some interesting insights into the human condition. A solid start for someone who looks to become a significant addition to the field. I will look forward to hearing more from Morcos Donnelly.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Pretty Good Book!!!, June 13, 2004

By 

ogi8745 (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Letters from the Flesh (Hardcover)

I was plesantly surprised when I read this.
The Book is in the form of letters. The first set are from an Alien visiting Earth around 2 thousand years ago.
The second set are e-mails between cousins.
I wasn't sure how both correspondences fit togather but Donnelly's storyline brought them togather effortlessly.
I was a little hesitant about the writing style but it really worked for this book.
I kept eagerly reading each letter to see where he was going with it.
Very good read.