The strayed sheep of Charun [Hardcover]

John Maddox Roberts (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 183 pages
• Publisher: Doubleday; 1st edition (1977)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 038513066X
• ISBN-13: 978-0385130660
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,729,970 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

John Maddox Roberts has written numerous works of science fiction and fantasy, in addition to his successful historical SPQR mystery series. He lives in New Mexico with his wife.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars superb, satisfying, want more, June 14, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The strayed sheep of Charun (Hardcover)

Roberts writes with humor and grace; the charm of his SPQR series is evident in "Strayed Sheep" as well; instead of ancient Rome, however, it takes place far in the future and at the fringes of the known universe. Whatever possesses George Lukas et al. to film such stories as "Phantom Menace," when there is material out there just begging to be made into rip-roaring movies, like "The Strayed Sheep of Charun"? Much more visual and thrilling than Starship Troopers, this book deserves to be filmed and, of course, widely read. Now if only it were in print -- and where to find "Cestus Dei"?

4.0 out of 5 stars visions of the future church, September 13, 2010

By 

Phyllis A. Karr (Wisconsin) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The strayed sheep of Charun (Hardcover)

On the one to ten system, ten being highest, I'd give this an eight. It's very well written, and had me turning the pages eagerly. On the whole, I'd agree with the 1999 reviewer on most points; and if Wikipedia had indicated that this belonged to one of the author's series, I'd likely be trying to get other titles in that series. Perhaps my chief dissastisfaction was that when the climax came, I found myself wanting more -- it was almost as if he wrapped things up a little too quickly and tidily! Also, while for myself I rather enjoyed his take on how the Catholic Church (and the four other "main" religions presently on our planet) might have developed over the next few millennia, and found a deal to chuckle at in his interpretation of the roles and differences among our various monastic/clerical traditions -- Dominican, Jesuit, Franciscan, etc. -- it might be just a tad too controversial for a tiny little parish library. It was nice to find a piece of SF geared to an area that seems generally overlooked in the genre; but on the whole I think I prefer Orson Scott Card's vision, with its room for new religious orders to develop in the future. STRAYED SHEEP is definitely good, though, and worth reading.