The Book of Strange New Things

Originally posted on bluchickenninja.com.

First of all I will say I got a copy of this book from Netgalley and I was only 25% through when I went out and bought a physical copy. I really enjoyed this book. It was a fascinating look at what could happen to religion if humans found life on another planet. But I have to admit I really liked the fact that you don't have to be religious in any way to enjoy this.

It brings up so many moral questions. Is it right to preach to these aliens when they barely understand human language. Is it right to give them medicine when its not clear if the aliens even understand what its for. I couldn't help but feel that these characters were breaking the Prime Directive in some way, even though its from Star Trek. One of the most interesting questions was brought up by one of the characters. Jesus died for our sins but did he die for these alien's sins as well.

Not only is this book a really interesting look at religion its a fantastic science-fiction novel too. The main character Peter is able to communicate with his wife back on Earth via a messaging system and we find out that all sorts of natural disasters have been occurring back on Earth. So we also see how Peter is torn between teaching the aliens about Christianity and worrying about his relationship with his wife and everything that is happening back on Earth.

I really enjoyed this book. The only problem I had was that the ending was very anti-climactic. I was left with more questions than answers about the situation back on Earth. But still a good read.

Peter is een ex-alcoholieker die parochiepriester geworden is, ergens in Engeland. We zijn ergens in de niet-zo-verre toekomst, en een soort mega-coporatie, USIC, doet allerlei.

Onder meer ook het uitbaten van een kolonie (maar noem het geen kolonie, noem het een “gemeenschap”) op een verre planeet, “in partnerschap” met een intelligent ras.

Peter en zijn vrouw doen, met vermoedelijk veel andere kandidaten, mee aan een selectieprocedure om Christen missionarissen te worden op die planeet, Oasis. Peter is geselecteerd, zijn vrouw niet.

(De reis er naartoe is niet zwaar uitgelegd, maar het duurt niet lang, en er is een manier om e-mail-achtig in bijna-real-time te communiceren tussen Aarden en Oasis.)

Peter komt toe, en na een periode van acclimatiseren, gaat hij voor het eerst naar de dichtsbijzijndste stad van de aliens. Zijn teamgenoot deeld medicijnen uit, de inboorlingen (“Oasans”) geven er voedsel voor in de plaats, het wordt duidelijk dat Peter een priester is, en dan gebeurt dit:

The Oasan reached out one hand, and, with an unmistakably tender motion, stroked Peter's cheek with the tip of a glove. ‘We pray Jeสีuสี for your coming,' he said.

[...]

‘The book? You have the book?' the Oasan repeated.

‘Uh . . . not on me right now,' said Peter, chastising himself for leaving his Bible back at the base. ‘But yes, of course. Of course!'

The Oasan clapped his hands in a gesture of delight, or prayer, or both. ‘Comforรี่ and joy. Glad day. Come back สีoon, Peรี่er, oh very สีoon, สีooner than you can. Read for uสี the Book of สีรี่range New Thingสี, read and read and read unรี่il we underสีรี่and. In reward we give you . . . give you . . . ' The Oasan trembled with the effort of finding adequate words, then threw his hands wide, as if to indicate everything under the sun.

Sometimes, I feel as though your leaving caused things to fall apart.

vermoed

literatuur

Loving this book so far–I think that Faber has pulled off something pretty amazing–this is a book that has devout Christian characters throughout, but is also a book that both atheists and fairly devout religious people can dig into and enjoy. No hard-and-fast answers (at least so far–I have 100 pages to go), lots of humans-being-human, and some almost magical-realism-sci-fi going on.