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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Infinite Realities, December 10, 2008
Barely a book by most standards, less than 100 pages, Infinite Realities is amazing. Mr. Copple tackles the issue of our God-given gifts and our ability to misuse and abuse them as we learn to let them operate correctly. What a thorny subject that can be! Ever been prayed for by someone who is just positive you've received something at his or her hands? Maybe you did receive something, but it wasn't what they thought it would be. And have you ever felt "blamed" because you didn't receive what they expected you to? Misused gifts - a hot topic for such a short book, but Mr. Copple dishes out lessons so subtly, you hardly register that you are learning anything until - BAM! - it hits you between the eyes.
Sisko is a young boy of fourteen, the age when a boy becomes a man in the eyes of the village. The rite of passage is the local steam room. Within it's misty chambers, people become on the outside what they hold within their hearts. The grasping, covetous man goes from lithe and fit to a lumbering mass of blubber. The amorous adventurer grows bark and roots; the gentle man with a kind heart and portly form leaves with a sleek, well-muscled body. Sisko discovers he has a heart for helping people. When he leaves the steam room, he finds a ring on his hand, a gift of God to be used only in praying for others' needs. If he uses it for his own selfish ends, he is warned, it will lose its virtue.
The rest of the chapters in this book chronicle the travels of Sisko and his ring, his mishaps and his successes, lessons learned - both good and sad. Mr. Copple's stories cover eleven years of Sisko's life. The years leap by with each chapter, and much too soon, the journey ended. I finished the book in one sitting, a rare accomplishment in my household. As I set the book down, I wished for more of the story. (Perhaps a sequel, Mr. Copple?)
The journey was so profound I didn't want it to end. Sisko learned about true friendship, seeing beyond the physical form, looking at the heart and not the appearance, giving all creatures the benefit of a doubt, and most of all, the value of love. He also found within himself anger and the possibility of violence, things he didn't expect in his own life. He found fear and questions, and most heartbreaking of all, a lack of faith. At some point we all experience that moment when we say, "Thanks, God, but if You aren't going to do something right now, I'll handle it myself." Been there? I know I have. And invariably we do - as Sisko does - the wrong thing.
Hold this book in your hand with a touch of awe. Sisko's world is apt to mirror your own, and the view won't always be comfortable, but it will reflect truth. God is God, whether we believe or not, whether we trust or not, whether we succeed or blow it royally. And there is always a miracle around the corner. It might not be the one you expect. But it will be a gift from the Heart of God. Infinite Realities is one of those gifts.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
A world of wonder, January 17, 2009
This unusual little book holds more than you'd expect. An ordinary young man is set into extraordinary situations and faces the challenge with all the depth of his humanity. Much about the unnamed fantasy world is like our own, so that it's easy to feel at home in it. It's rather like an old-fashioned fairytale except that there aren't any of those stereotype cardboard characters. No, the people you meet in these pages are flesh and blood, people like us dealing with not-quite-everyday stuff.
The stories grow in intensity as you read on. It definitely gave me food for thought and I often think back upon the images and scenes described here. Yes, it's short - but there's a much bigger sequel!
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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Infinite Realities Shines, June 11, 2008
Infinite Realities is a novella sized collection of fantasy tales - 5 short stories in about 85 pages, plus a bonus commentary on the relationship between faith and fiction. It can be read in an evening; and if you know you're immersing yourself into a series of morality tales with hints of allegory, one setting will be enough. Not that it's overkill. The pieces are well told and fast paced, and the author has provided the reader with some interesting scenarios to consider as well as a few adequately developed characters (for this short of a project). However, the message-oriented nature of this book is best contemplated as a whole.
The intended audience is Christian (or anyone comfortable with the Judeo-Christian milieu); but the fantastical elements and plot lines, while painted in fairly primary colors, do allow the five stories to stand on their own and thus could appeal to general fantasy fans. I might have appreciated a more subtle approach (more pastels) to the various "realities" I encountered while journeying with Sisko, our protagonist, but again, for the novella length, I think the book accomplished its purpose.
And that purpose? To assist the reader, Every Man or Every Woman (via Sisko), to experience and learn from the many stages, or realities, of life. Copple isn't trying to duplicate the grand scale of Pilgrim in his progress "toward no earthly destination" (Bunyan), but he does capture with simple "clarity and a gentle sincerity" (from the Introduction by M. Keaton) that human yearning to be more than what we are.
It starts with a calling. In "Steamy Realities" Sisko discovers his true yearning which is to become a healer of the human family; indeed, to become his brother's keeper. With a magical ring inscribed in Hebrew with the words, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (words of Jesus), Sisko leaves the Steam House (reminiscent of an aboriginal sweat lodge) with a vision to pursue and the power to fulfill it.
While on this journey, Sisko encounters currents from within and from without of jealousy and power ("Undesired Realities"); inadequacy vs. duty and revenge vs. forgiveness ("Unknown Realities"); the power of love and mercy ("Unseen Realities"); and failure, repentance, and destiny ("Ultimate Realities"). One gets the impression that these themes could go on ad infinitum, and that would be correct, thus the title. Yet the handful of issues explored here are representative and adequate enough for the reader to put down the volume with satisfaction.
For a small press release (Doubled-Edged Publishing) the quality is fine, with only a few typos and formatting slips. The front cover is very well done, and the writing, as mentioned, is competent but not stirring. As a Christian, I found the bonus column on the interplay between faith and fiction to be one of the most cogent and intelligently argued apologetic for why fantasy literature is not merely to be tolerated within Christian circles but celebrated and pursued. This may not be of interest to those who don't share our faith perspective, but it is still a hotly debated topic among believers. For this reason alone, I'd recommend Infinite Realities for not only its contemplative offerings but for simple fun and enjoyment.
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