The Parafaith War [Mass Market Paperback]

L. E. Modesitt Jr. (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 15, 1997

Some bad ideas go back a long way and this one goes all the way back to the original home planet: Someone's god told them they had a right to more territory--so they figure they can take what they want by divine right. In the far future among the colonized worlds of the galaxy there's a war going on between the majority of civilized worlds and a colonial theocracy.

Trystin Desoll grows up fighting against religious fanatics and becomes a hero, a first-class pilot, then, amazingly, a spy.

What do you do if you're a relatively humane soldier fighting millions of suicidal volunteers on the other side who know that they are utterly right and you are utterly wrong, with no middle ground?

Trystin Desoll has an idea.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The primacy of ideas over characterization-a hallmark of (John) Campbellian science fiction-distinguishes Modesitt's current novel from his popular Recluse series and the delightful Of Tangible Ghosts. Trystin Desoll is a young Eco-Tech officer who is fighting two enemies: the opposing Revenant forces, and the prejudice of his own people against his looks, which are more rev than Eco-Tech. Employing his impressive wits and skills, he creates innovative solutions to each, ultimately devising a ploy aimed at ending the war by using the Revenants' faith-based culture. All this is potentially interesting, but Modesitt leaves too much unsaid (e.g., the reason for the interstellar war). Trystin is too stolid a character as well, barely reacting as several family members, friends and lovers are lost or forgotten. Modesitt is capable of turning out provocative, entertaining SF-but this, despite some good ideas, isn't that.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"Echoes of both Joe Haldeman's The Forever War and Robert A. Heinlein's Starship Troopers: dense, gritty, strong on technical detail." --Kirkus Reviews

"Mr. Modesitt's novel is a thoughtful commentary on the comparative influences of science and religion in the human story." --The Washington Times

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 480 pages
• Publisher: Tor Science Fiction; 1st edition (February 15, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812538943
• ISBN-13: 978-0812538946
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #634,748 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

After spending years writing poetry, political speeches and analyses, as well as economic and technical reports on extraordinarily detailed and often boring subjects, I finally got around to writing my first short story, which was published in 1973. I kept submitting and occasionally having published stories until an editor indicated he'd refuse to buy any more until I wrote a novel. So I did, and it was published in 1982, and I've been writing novels -- along with a few short stories -- ever since.

If you want to know more, you can visit my website at www.lemodesittjr.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good action sequeses, with some interesting ideas as well., February 17, 2001

By 

Dixon Whitley (Albuquerque, New Mexico United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Parafaith War (Mass Market Paperback)

This is the kind of novel that sci-fi is about. It is a novel about a war that speaks to a major social issue.

The first half of the book sets up a universe at war. This part of the book goes into large detail, about the defense of a devoloping world, from religous radicals. The action sequences are for the most part very good, with the execption of a couple of sceanes where the description loses focus and becomes vague.

The second half of the book is about the main characters attempt to find a solution to the war, by acting as an itellegence agent for his race.

This book is smart, and does a good job devolping the atomoshere that the two societies have twords the war. More than any other war novel that I have read, this book gives the war experence as a combination of combat, as well as the social aspects of the war that each side faces as consequence of the fighting. This allows the book to look at the reasons and modivations of both sides of the conflict, and to show how the war itself makes both sides reason for fighting obsolete. The most interesting part of the book is where one side character points out that one side is fighting for land that they will never need, and the other side is taking so many casualties, that they no longer need the new land.

WARNING: This book may offend some deeply religous people due to the way that religon is protrayed in the book. A church that is a little too like the Mormon church is protrayed in a way that could be taken badly.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Compelling Story, September 29, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Albany, GA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Parafaith War (Mass Market Paperback)

One of Mr. Modesitt's more ambitous novels...this one explores the meaning/impact of war in and on human society and the individual. It contrasts two human societies operating from opposing frames of reference. I enjoyed the novel..and unlike alot of scifi today it does raise questions that stay with the reader. However, Mr. Modesitt fails to give the opposing culture "Revs" sufficent depth, esp. when the hero travel to the home planet. And the entire question of the Meaning of War is wrapped up a little to neatly. Still a worth buying.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good action novel with some technical faults, April 13, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Parafaith War (Hardcover)

This is a good, fast-paced, action story that is an interesting read. The societies involved are fairly well thought out and the reader does not get hung up in the backgrounds, which, nevertheless, support the story well.

Two problems do not detract much from the story line. The author seems not too familiar with weapons, even though the first half of the book depends upon use of military firepower, For example, the author has the hero "switch to semi-automatic" fire on an assault rifle and has the rate of fire increase! using more ammo. The opposite, of course would occur.

The other problem I had was with the homelife and society of the religious fanatics being apparently a clone of common American 20th century society. Any religious society I know of has the fanaticism imbedded within their cultural interactions at home as well as when addressing foreigners.