Many Dimensions [Paperback]

Charles Williams (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1931

This penetrating study of evil in the human heart revolves around a mysterious Stone of many dimensions, by which one can move at will through space, time, and thought. Replete with rich religious imagery, Many Dimensions explores the relation between predestination and free will as it depicts different human responses to redemptive transcendence.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Imagine Raiders of the Lost Ark set in 20th-century London, and then imagine it written by a man steeped not in Hollywood movies but in Dante and the things of the spirit, and you might begin to get a picture of Charles Williams's novel Many Dimensions. The plot turns on the discovery of the magical Stone of Solomon, through which one can move at will through space, time, and thought. Those who think they can manipulate the stone to serve their own ends, however, find to their horror that, as Jesus once ironically said, "they have their reward." While the story clearly deals with the extraordinary, through his humorous and loving depiction of his British characters Williams more deeply shows us the spiritual reality that lies inside the ordinary. --Doug Thorpe

About the Author

(1886-1945) An intense, imaginative, magnetic person, Charles Williams was a member of the Inklings, the group of creative Oxford Christians of the 1930s and 1940s that included C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien. Though he excelled in many literary genres, Williams is best remembered for his poetry and his original fiction—contemporary religious novels filled with suspense, mystery, and supernatural conflict.

Product Details

• Paperback: 269 pages
• Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company (January 1, 1931)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 080281221X
• ISBN-13: 978-0802812216
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #806,359 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of Williams' best novels, April 11, 2000

By 

Mike Perschon - See all my reviews

This review is from: Many Dimensions (Paperback)

Difficult to find, sometimes difficult to understand, this particular novel of C.S. Lewis' contemporary Charles Williams has something his other novels lacked; it was difficult to put down. Williams is reknowned for writing about the numinous as though he has experienced it directly, probably the strongest point of his writing. In Many Dimensions, Williams has created a cast of likeable characters who interact with real emotion and occasional witty humor, hand in hand with the author's standard forays into the paranormal. As in "All Hallows Eve" Williams' creates a strong female protagonist, something rare among his Inkling colleagues. The story centers around a miraculous stone, once the property of an ancient king whose wisdom and power were legendary. The characters in the novels react to the appearance of this stone in 20th century Britain with varying motivations and actions. For some, the stone is a mode of power, much like nuclear energy, while for others it is "the end of desire," a spiritual force unparallelled on earth. To reveal any of the plot points is to take away from the joy of reading this fantastic book. A must have for fans of C. S. Lewis, G. K. Chesterton, or Clive Barker. (I have this sneaking suspicion Williams' was an influence on Barker)

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars fast-paced spiritual thriller, June 22, 2000

By 

J. Carr (Tennessee, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Many Dimensions (Paperback)

Many Dimensions is a fast-paced, mystical-scientific-spiritual novel in the same vein as C.S. Lewis' sci-fi thrillers (take That Hideous Strength and replace the Arthurian mythology with Middle Eastern Muslim mythology and you will have an idea of the mood of Many Dimensions). I found both Williams' briefly mentioned concept of "Organic Law" and his much discussed idea of time-travel fascinating. The characters are not extremely well developed, but the plot doesen't really allow it anyway. Since this is my first Charles Williams novel, I wouldn't know if it's his best but I would reccommend it to those interested in C.S. Lewis and the other Inklings.

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very funny for Charles Williams, and well done, December 12, 2001

By 

"danielalewis" (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Many Dimensions (Paperback)

Charles Williams is always deep, and often thick and meaty. Happily, in this novel, he is extremely funny. Watching what the British do when a spiritually powerful stone is dropped into their outstretched hands is a fine pursuit. Some situations are farcically funny, others witty, and some are, in the end, pitiful- the kind of jokes about the human race that are rooted in our failure to do all we should with our great gifts, that we wish we didn't have to make.

Williams combines an ultimately serious theme with high poetry, good plot and characters, and his highly individual treatment of the supernatural and mysticism for a very satisfying read (and re-read).