A prior pastor gave them a bible, which they called the book of strange new things. For all its galactic wonders, the book of strange new things is a subtle, meditative novel that winds familiar spacealien tropes around. A significant number of the aliens are eager to hear more from the bible, which they call the book of strange new things and peter is challenged and buoyed up to learn as much as he can about the oasans, so that he can help them. David mitchell michel fabers the book of strange new things certainly lives up to its title. By alien culture i mean the native inhabitants of another planet.
A book of strange new things, indeed this did not feel like a true scifi book. Staying behind on earth, bea, a nurse and fellow committed christian, has a role at once easier and tougher. The book of strange new things michel faber wrote a book a while ago the crimson petal and the white that became a critically acclaimed international bestseller. The work was first published in the united states on. The book of strange new things will blow you away io9. Its a religious story nods head about a pastor pulls down glasses who becomes a missionary loud siren to aliens galaxy brain.
Oct 30, 2014 the book of strange new things treads familiar territory michel fabers bestseller, the crimson petal and the white, captured the feel of victorian london. At first blush, science fiction and religion might seem awkward bedfellows, the one priding itself on its hardheadedness and. A sense of ennui holds sway, and he moves through his days slowly, wonderingly, as he tries to connect with the inscrutable, gentle aliens who tend the land and who seem to have found their own salvation in the stories of the book of strange new thingsthe bible. Michel fabers book of strange new things the new york times. Space missionaries and galactic christians in this scifi mashup. Faber made bestseller and awards lists with his victorian novel the crimson petal and the white, and a film adaptation of an earlier work, under the skin, was recently released. Pastor peter leigh is a reformed drug addict and alcoholic that has been chosen as a missionary to these people who resemble humans in many ways. A story of faith that will mesmerize believers and nonbelievers alike, a story of love in the face of the apocalypse, a story of humanity set in an alien worldthe book of strange new things is desperately beautiful, sad, and unforgettable. Michel fabers book of strange new things spoilers december 19, 2014 december 19, 2014 sincerefool michel fabers latest and quite possibly his last novel is truly a strange story or at least premise, when taken at face value. The book of strange new things is the story of an alien world and its native population, but it is also the story of a pastor, peter, sent to minister to these aliens. Nov 02, 2014 defiantly unclassifiable, the book of strange new things is, among other things, a rebuke to the credo of literary seriousness for which there is no higher art than a norwegian man taking. I did not enjoy the narrators attempts to pronounce the words the aliens say when trying to speak english. Wonderfully wacky as ever, colin mcnaughton sets off in search of strange and silly aliens.
The nasty, grimy, cheap ones with their ridiculous spaceships and squishy aliens. In michel fabers the book of strange new things, a preacher is hired by a megacorporation to travel to their base on an alien world. At first, you think its going to be about a human trying to explain our culture and specifically christianity. The book of strange new things is michel fabers second masterpiece, every bit as luminescent and memorable as the crimson petal and the white. I havent read through the book of mormon in a long time, but i will cover ufos, aliens, allusions and nuclear weapons in the book of mormon now. Similarly, the ingredients of the book of strange new things dont. To ask other readers questions about the book of strange new things, please. The book of strange new things treads familiar territory. Michel fabers phenomenal the book of strange new things is primed to become a classic on space, faith and, above all, devotion. The work was first published in the united states on october 28, 2014 and concerns an english pastor who is sent to the planet of oasis to teach its reclusive native inhabitants about christianity.
Why would anyone want to send one missionary to another planet to indoctrinate aliens in only one particular view of one particular faith, especially a faith that is based on. What other book might you compare the book of strange new things to, and why. Feb 19, 2015 space missionaries and galactic christians in this scifi mashup. Dec 19, 2014 michel fabers book of strange new things spoilers december 19, 2014 december 19, 2014 sincerefool michel fabers latest and quite possibly his last novel is truly a strange story or at least premise, when taken at face value. Typographical symbols have replaced certain letters because the aliens cannot pronounce some of sounds. Defiantly unclassifiable, the book of strange new things is, among other things, a rebuke to the credo of literary seriousness for which there is no higher art than a norwegian man taking. The book of strange new things is a 2014 science fiction novel by dutchborn author michel faber. The book of strange new things treads familiar territory michel fabers bestseller, the crimson petal and the white, captured the feel of victorian london.
If youre not a fan of science fiction if you cant stand the thought of spaceships and aliens and inhuman minds then the book of strange new things might be perfect for you. The paperback of the the book of strange new things by michel. The publisher cleverly edged the hard cover edition pages in gold making it look like a sacred volume. The book of strange new things by michel faber goodreads. Nov 12, 2014 the book of strange new things opensat some unspecified nearfuture datewith the separation and incipient estrangement between husband and wife peter and beatrice leigh.
The book of strange new things by michel faber, paperback. The book of strange new things opensat some unspecified nearfuture datewith the separation and incipient estrangement between husband and wife peter and beatrice leigh. This book is quite unique but the closest i could get to a comparison is michael fabers under the skin. The book of strange new things is the story of peter, a missionary who is hired by the mysterious company usic, and is sent to a distant planet to serve both the human and alien population there. Ive just reached the part where peter finally meets the aliens pg 122 584. A love story, two novellas, the hundred and ninetynine steps and the courage consort, and has won several shortstory awards, including the neil gunn, ian st james and macallan.
The book of mormon is a book from the dead, something that the author could know when joseph smith couldnt know that we could know now, and here is additional proof. Not because i dont enjoy thinking about it, but because i loved it really, truly loved it and i have no. Peter has been tapped by usic to become an interstellar missionary. Michael fabers new novel the book of strange new things pulls a neat trick. In book of strange new things, aliens embrace jesus. Were off to look for aliens its a book within a book. Peter is on his way to pastor a congregation of aliens.
The book of strange new things hardcover books inc. Mar 25, 2015 thus boasted a blurb on the back of the book. This is definitely a book of strange new things, but its title is the name that an alien culture gives to the bible. Michel faber, author of book of strange new things will. In fact, peters journey of faith is the primary story here, much in the same way job is the focus of job fancy that. Their married life will serve as one of the centers of thematic gravity in the book.
Suffice to say that theres more to this than you may think as you start reading. In 2017, the book of strange new things will be adapted into amazon original series oasis. Pastor peter leigh is a reformed drug addict and alcoholic that has been chosen as a missionary to these people who resemble humans in. Mar 31, 2020 a sense of ennui holds sway, and he moves through his days slowly, wonderingly, as he tries to connect with the inscrutable, gentle aliens who tend the land and who seem to have found their own salvation in the stories of the book of strange new thingsthe bible. Michel fabers book of strange new things the new york. Thats certainly how i felt when i heard about michel fabers the book of strange new things. The coronavirus pandemic has caused widespread disruption to the lives of everyone in tampa bay and to so many businesses in our community. The book of strange new things hardcover bookpeople. Why would anyone want to send one missionary to another planet to indoctrinate aliens in only one particular view of one particular faith, especially a faith that is based on the belief that only man is made in the image of god. The book of strange new things by michel faber this book is. When folks talk religion, i often get squeamish especially when they speak with missionary zeal.
Proselytizing an alien nation it begins with peter, a devoted man of faith, as he is called to the mission of a lifetime. The book of strange new things is a wildly original tale of adventure, faith and the ties that might hold two people together when they are worlds apart. The story opens with pastor peter leigh driving to the airport with his wife, beatrice leigh. The book of strange new things, by michael faber, study guide is written using the kindle version. If michel fabers phenomenonturnedbestsellerturnedminiseries the crimson petal and the white is the only fiction of his that youve ever read, his newest novel, the book of strange new.
Happily, by the time peter gets there the aliens whom peter comes to call oasans have learned a small amount of english, and during the course of the book their english improves as peter talks to them and reads to them from the book of strange new things which is the term the aliens use for peters king james bible. All page numbers provided correspond to the eversion of the work. Happily, by the time peter gets there the aliens whom peter comes to call oasans have learned a small amount of english, and during the course of the book their english improves as peter talks to them and reads to them from the book of strange new things which. When an author gets his book in the mail, hes nervous to have his family read it.
It is a portrait of a living, breathing relationship, frayed by distance. Here you will meet peter a naif, almost jesuslike figure whos been transported trillions of miles from his beloved wife to the planet oasis, to teach them the word of the new testament or the book of strange new things. Here at the tampa bay times, we continue to provide free. The book of strange new things by michel faber kirkus. This momentous novel, fabers first since the crimson petal and the white, sees him at his expectationdefying best. Creating snacks that make most humans queasy, this chef has found a new clientelealiens. Oct 28, 2014 michel fabers phenomenal the book of strange new things is primed to become a classic on space, faith and, above all, devotion. The book of strange new things audiobook michel faber. The book of strange new things upper dublin public library. The book of strange new things book central rappahannock.
So when someone handed me the book of strange new things, i held it between thumb and forefinger in much the same way one handles hazardous waste. Aug 06, 2015 the book of strange new things is a wildly original tale of adventure, faith and the ties that might hold two people together when they are worlds apart. A monumental, genredefying novel that david mitchell calls michel fabers second masterpiece, the book of strange new things is a masterwork from a writer in full command of his many talents. The book of strange new things treads familiar territory wbfo. It begins with peter, a devoted man of faith, as he is called to the mission of a lifetime, one that takes him galaxies away from his wife, bea. At first, you think its going to be about a human trying to explain our culture and specifically christianity to. Faber includes most of what i love in a good novel. But back on earth things are going badly wrong and bea isnt coping well with the breakdown in society. Hence the title the bible is the book of strange new things. I didnt so much read the book of strange new things as inhabit it, the way you inhabited that handful of books which, as a kid, first got you hooked on this wonderful drug known as reading. Oct 26, 2014 the book of strange new things is a slowburning novel in paredback prose.
Oct 06, 2014 michel fabers new novel, due to be released on october 28, is itself a book of strange new things. Book of strange new things exudes considerable charm. Ive just reached the part where peter finally meets the aliens pg 122584. In the follow up to his breakout picture book, even monsters need haircuts, matthew mcelligott brings back the young monster barber in a new tale where his culinary concoctions bring him galaxywide fame.