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The Gospel of the Knife (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "A Coke bottle spins through the air..." (more)
Key Phrases: scroll seller, other nefs, anointed prince, Aunt Ida, Hill Salem, New York (more...)
4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
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  • This item: The Gospel of the Knife by Will Shetterly

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Shetterly's sequel to Dogland (1997) finds Christopher Nix, a troubled adolescent, struggling through the cultural turmoil of 1969 Florida. While running from a trio of hippie-hating bullies, Chris manages to ride his bike across a murky pond while a pursuer sinks, but he later finds a hidden branch under the water and tells himself it must have supported him. Running away from home after a fight with his father, Chris winds up romantically and then literally entangled with CC, a wild young woman trying to escape her aunt's obsession with Jesus. Then his life changes radically when a rich stranger offers to fund his education at a fancy prep school. Chris soon learns the reason for the generosity, and the small miracles that appear to follow him wherever he goes: he's actually one of the elohim, a divine being in human guise. Shetterly seems to want to make some sort of point about adolescence and faith, but like the pond, his intent is often occluded, and not every reader will be able to make it to the far side.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


From Booklist

Shetterly's return to the story of Christopher Nix, from Dogland (1997), begins as historical fiction and quickly diverts into weirder territory. Now 14, Chris is invited to attend boarding school at the behest of Jay Dumont, who claims to owe the Nix family a debt. Accepting takes Chris far from his usual life. Under Dumont's tutelage, Chris discovers he can walk on water, heal, and manipulate others. Dumont explains that Chris is one of the nefilim, a magical race charged by God to rule the world. Yet Chris is uncomfortable with Dumont's assertion that these powers give the nefilim the right to rule as they see fit; he has seen how easily the powerful, including Dumont, are corrupted. The second-person, present-tense narration, off-putting at first, quickly becomes transparent, and Shetterly's blending of Vietnam-era realism and religious mysticism makes compelling reading. Ultimately, the tale becomes confusing, at times so incomprehensible that it flirts with boredom. Patient readers will find much to ponder, though, as Chris struggles to do what is right. Hutley, Krista
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Product Details

  • Hardcover: 320 pages
  • Publisher: Tor Books (July 10, 2007)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0312866313
  • ISBN-13: 978-0312866310
  • Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 1.2 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,231,196 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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    #8 in  Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Authors, A-Z > ( S ) > Shetterly, Will

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Will Shetterly
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Front Cover | Front Flap | First Pages | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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First Sentence:
A Coke bottle spins through the air. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
scroll seller, other nefs, anointed prince
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Aunt Ida, Hill Salem, New York, Eula Mae, Jay Dumont, Blaise Selby, Miss Chabot, Rider House, Yakob Zadok, John Deere, Josh Dumont, Chad Vaughn, Christopher Nix, Cindy Hurly, High House, Maryam Hairdresser, Grandpa Abner, Master Nix, Miss Huntington, New England, Esu of Father, Heller Dumont, Holy Ones, Ida Carter, University Avenue
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Customer Reviews

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4.0 out of 5 stars (3 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Does absolute power corrupt? , August 29, 2007
1969, a time of turbulence for the nation and in particular for Mark Christopher
Nix, who has just turned 14. He's a longhaired kid in a town full of rednecks. Chris is just learning about drugs, just getting interested in girls, and just testing his wings on his own for the first time.

In an ill-conceived attempt to establish his own power, he runs away from home on Halloween night. On that fateful Hallows Eve, he discovers CC, a young Black girl who he falls for. His relations with CC are interrupted by her Aunt and Chris is returned to the family late that evening.

Shortly after, Chris' family is contacted by Jay Dumont, a wealthy benefactor who wants to provide Chris an education in one of the best schools in the nation in return for his grandfather saving his life in World War I.

Chris discovers his mysterious benefactor is a good deal more than he seems. Indeed, both he and Chris are of the Elohim, a rare race gifted with godlike powers. Dumont styles himself the King of the World and declares Chris his heir since his own son Josh has recently been murdered.

Chris goes to the school--dubbed merely The Academy--and is immediately entangled in trying to find out who killed Josh. He uncovers more than he expected and must make choices with repercussions not only for him and his family but for the world.

The "Publishers' Weekly" reviewer who described this book said that not every reader would easily make it across the 'pond' metaphor in Shetterly's writing. I admit freely to being mired in more than once by "Gospel."

Having conducted a bit of research on Shetterly's website, I discovered "Gospel" was going to be two books and had about 80% of the contents edited out. I'm certain a good deal of my own confusion resulted from that compression of the larger work. One particular instance was where the writing referred to a time period of ten months when it seemed as though only a few weeks had passed in the manuscript.

Still, what I have read in "Gospel" has given me a good deal to think about even if I had to work a bit harder to tread water across the pond. "Gospel" is not my favorite of Shetterly's work--that would go to "Dogland", but I do believe that this book is well worth the read even if you do get 'dunked in the pond' a few times.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars If you like Neil Gaiman, you'll like this..., July 13, 2007
By G. R. Fry "(SF fan with no name)" (New Albany, IN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
"The Gospel of the Knife" is the Judeo-Christian version of "American Gods". Shetterly has told a tale of fantasy woven so well with reality that you almost find yourself believing that it is real. You are so glad that you read this story because you know that somehow a portion of your mind has been transformed. After you've read it you will want to buy one for your library because you only hope that others find it and its message. You can only wonder what Shetterly will do next.
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4.0 out of 5 stars Not your everyday review, but then, it's not an everyday book., December 17, 2008
By Avangyline (Boston, MA United States) - See all my reviews
I had some warning that this book was written in second person/present tense. Still, my mind rebelled when I began reading it. I pressed on for love of the author's earlier works, and I'm glad I did! This is a fantastic story.

A sort of coming-of-age tale with religious overtones and social/political undertones, this is worth reading for everyone. In particular I recomend it if:
1. You're interested in magical writing, but a lot of modern urban fantasy does not thrill you.
2. You have an interest in Gnosticism, Christian myth, and/or myth in general.
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