Scan barcode
A review by brents
Alpha and Omega by Harry Turtledove
4.0
This is a very unique book, but it is one I enjoyed quite a bit. It's unique in that I'm not really sure what genre I would put it in. It was in the sci fi section of the book store but I wouldn't call it sci fi. You could make an argument that it's fantasy, but it bares little resemblance to almost any other fantasy work. Maybe it's supernatural mystery or alternate history, but it's not really those either.
What it really amounts to is a book that starts with an interesting "what if" premise and throws normal people into very unusual situation and we see how they react as it plays out. In this case the "what if" is what if the biblical account of the end times played out verifiably for all of the world to see, and how would various people from all backgrounds both faithfully religious and secular react as it plays out.
That was enough to get me hooked, but I can see how it wouldn't work for a lot of people. If you really want a driving plot, action, or traditional protagonists and antagonist you're not really going to find that here. What you will find is some really interesting characters that all have very distinct viewpoints and voices trying to reconcile their beliefs or lack there of with what is happening before their very eyes. As someone who has always loved to speculate, and think of counter-factual theories of historical events I ate this up.
Also I appreciate all the research that Turtledove put in regarding all of ancient history and biblical history here. And I appreciate the way he wrote about the various religious beliefs without either being preachy or mocking of said beliefs. Each religion gets handled both with reverence and sometimes a little skewering without being offensive.
If I had to criticize anything here I'd probably say I found the ending a bit of a letdown. It was fine in the context of the rest of the story, and it makes a point, but I prefer more resolution and less open-endedness. I didn't need an action packed climax. That wouldn't fit the tone of the rest of the book. But what I would have liked was it not to be quite so rushed and just a bit more definitive. However, I will admit maybe definitive answers also don't fit the tone of the book.
In summary I really enjoyed this as an entry point to Turtledove's work. He has so many books and series it's a bit overwhelming to figure out where to start. This is as good of a place as any. I will be checking out more of his work. I would also recommend this to a specific type of reader. Maybe one who is interested in the premise and ideas of books like those of Dan Brown, but are interested in a more thoughtful and less "pot boilerly" story with better writing.
What it really amounts to is a book that starts with an interesting "what if" premise and throws normal people into very unusual situation and we see how they react as it plays out. In this case the "what if" is what if the biblical account of the end times played out verifiably for all of the world to see, and how would various people from all backgrounds both faithfully religious and secular react as it plays out.
That was enough to get me hooked, but I can see how it wouldn't work for a lot of people. If you really want a driving plot, action, or traditional protagonists and antagonist you're not really going to find that here. What you will find is some really interesting characters that all have very distinct viewpoints and voices trying to reconcile their beliefs or lack there of with what is happening before their very eyes. As someone who has always loved to speculate, and think of counter-factual theories of historical events I ate this up.
Also I appreciate all the research that Turtledove put in regarding all of ancient history and biblical history here. And I appreciate the way he wrote about the various religious beliefs without either being preachy or mocking of said beliefs. Each religion gets handled both with reverence and sometimes a little skewering without being offensive.
If I had to criticize anything here I'd probably say I found the ending a bit of a letdown. It was fine in the context of the rest of the story, and it makes a point, but I prefer more resolution and less open-endedness. I didn't need an action packed climax. That wouldn't fit the tone of the rest of the book. But what I would have liked was it not to be quite so rushed and just a bit more definitive. However, I will admit maybe definitive answers also don't fit the tone of the book.
In summary I really enjoyed this as an entry point to Turtledove's work. He has so many books and series it's a bit overwhelming to figure out where to start. This is as good of a place as any. I will be checking out more of his work. I would also recommend this to a specific type of reader. Maybe one who is interested in the premise and ideas of books like those of Dan Brown, but are interested in a more thoughtful and less "pot boilerly" story with better writing.