- Hardcover: 320 pages
- Publisher: Tor,U.S. (31 Aug 2007)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0312866313
- ISBN-13: 978-0312866310
- Product Dimensions: 21.3 x 14 x 3 cm
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 2,573,291 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Review
"A deceptively simple story, rich with complex characters and timeless themes." --"Publishers Weekly" on "Dogland """
"A masterwork. A particularly American magic realism that touches the heart of race and childhood in our country; it's "100 Years of Solitude" for an entire generation of American Baby Boomers, and deserves the widest possible audience." --Ellen Kushner, host of public radio's "Sound & Spirit "on" Dogland"
"A masterwork. A particularly American magic realism that touches the heart of race and childhood in our country; it's "100 Years of Solitude" for an entire generation of American Baby Boomers, and deserves the widest possible audience." --Ellen Kushner, host of public radio's "Sound & Spirit "on" Dogland"
Product Description
Christopher Nix is fourteen years old in 1969. His life is a turbulent echo of the times as he discovers sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll in the heart of Florida. Into this struggle between the young long-haired hippie and the red necks who'd just as soon kill him comes a strange offer that will completely change his life. The Nix family is contacted by a mysterious benefactor who wants to send Chris to an exclusive private school, no expense spared. Jay Dumont claims that Chris' grandfather saved his life during WWI, and though Grandpa Uvdall is dead, the debt remains to be paid. But as Chris will discover, there is a great deal more to it than that. He will have to accept and understand the Powers that have surrounded his family all his life, and learn to use his own magical gifts, if he is to survive Dumont's plan.
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4 reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Does absolute power corrupt?
29 Aug 2007
Format:Hardcover
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.
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.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Great fun; some good thoughts
20 May 2010
Format:Hardcover
It's a sort-of sequel to Dogland, in that this is apparently the same Christopher Nix, but where the earlier work had a vague sense of background magic at work, this one gets up close and personal. You see, young Chris has been chosen to be the next God. Seriously. That's quite a premise, and I for one wondered if the book could possibly live up to it.
The mysterious happenings and happy coincidences of his youth are presumably explained by this, or perhaps it was his family's magical ancestry which unconsciously drew them to an area teeming with the supernatural. Chris' life changes now, though, as he's semi-adopted by a wealthy man and then sent to The Academy to learn--well, it's not really clear what they study. Chris himself is exempt anyway, since the headmaster worships him. Literally.
Other complications manage to abound despite the basic premise being quite complex enough. There's a lot going on, and I felt that the wrapup was a bit rushed. If it was really intended to be two books originally, it may have been more satisfying in that format. Still, it's a long way from bad. It supports its ambitious premise admirably.
So, does absolute power corrupt absolutely? No spoilers here, but I'll just say that I liked the way the door was left open.
The mysterious happenings and happy coincidences of his youth are presumably explained by this, or perhaps it was his family's magical ancestry which unconsciously drew them to an area teeming with the supernatural. Chris' life changes now, though, as he's semi-adopted by a wealthy man and then sent to The Academy to learn--well, it's not really clear what they study. Chris himself is exempt anyway, since the headmaster worships him. Literally.
Other complications manage to abound despite the basic premise being quite complex enough. There's a lot going on, and I felt that the wrapup was a bit rushed. If it was really intended to be two books originally, it may have been more satisfying in that format. Still, it's a long way from bad. It supports its ambitious premise admirably.
So, does absolute power corrupt absolutely? No spoilers here, but I'll just say that I liked the way the door was left open.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
If you like Neil Gaiman, you'll like this...
13 July 2007
Format:Hardcover
"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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