Rating: 
Summary: exciting and thought provoking - a fast moving story
Review: Michael D O'brien is a wonderful novelist with a fine mastery of the English language.It woud be easy to rush through his exciting books but to do so would deprive you of some fine reading.
Rating:
Summary: What a wonderful book!!!
Review: What a joy this book has been to read; I look forward to adding this author to my "must read" list!!! Essentially, good solid Catholic thought with a little bit of drama thrown in; interesting conjecture on how the "last days" really will happen. Gives our "Prot" friends a run for their money regarding our understanding of the "final 'last days'". An all around and generally good read. I highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely the best Catholic fiction out there!
Review: Michael O'brien is a writer with an amazing insight and understanding not only of modern-day Catholicism but also of the faith once given - Catholicism as it ought to be. His ability to write saintly characters who are all DIFFERENT from each other and not mere cardboard cut-outs is incredible. I could not put this book down! A must-read for all Catholics (and I hope that Protestants Christians will be able to enjoy it despite the fact that it is very Catholic.)
Rating:
Summary: sometimes as good as Dostoyevsky
Review: A very good Catholic novel. At its best, reminded me of Dostoyevsky. A monk, a former Jew who escaped from the holocaust, is given the commission from the pope to witness to the man who is on his way to become the anti-Christ, seeking the salvation of his soul. Some spy-novel kind of intrigue and, sometimes, fast-paced action. But the dialogues are profound, devout, inspiring, and marvelously written. In some ways like a Roman Catholic Frank Peretti, but written with the skill of a true artist and a the soul of a pious mystic.
Rating:
Summary: Praise from a Non-Catholic reader.
Review: As a Non-Catholic, practicing Christian, I found this novel to be fascinating. I literally could not put this book down. I read it daily until I finished, relishing every moment. The defense of God by Father Elijah as he debates the character, Count Smokrev, that begins on page 291(- 298,2nd prgh.), is one of the most eliquent theological aplogies ever written. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. One of the most satisfying reads in a long, long time. KUDOS!
Rating:
Summary: My all-time favorite novel!
Review: Fr. Elijah is an engaging, thought-provoking novel, that will probably be seen by future generations as THE prophetic literary work of our era. As I read it I found myself laughing at many parts; at times I wept. And quite often, I had to pause and reflect upon the reasons for my emotions. The author hits a nerve and then causes the reader to ask why. I suspect, too, that he left the ending open intentionally. He did this, I believe, to leave the reader with a sense that the drama in his story continues. Without being tidely brought to a close, the book propels us back into "real life" urgently aware that the drama and conflict continues. There we see that Fr. Elijah is not just superb entertainment, it is a profound wake-up call. This book is unconditionally recommended to one and all!
Rating: 
Summary: This IS Fiction
Review: Any story on this topic is bound to attract a primarily Christian audience. Given a Christian faith and knowledge of the Bible, the realism of O'Brien's scenario makes it all too easy to slip into digesting this as a prophetic novel rather than what it is: fiction. As Harold Bloom so eloquently states, the primary goal of a great novelist is not to deliver a message or change the world. The great novelist's goal is to be a great novelist. We must leave it for future generations to decide if Mr. O'Brien deserves that title. On the surface it would appear that he will not. By its very nature, the appeal of this book will be limited to those raised in a certain time period sharing a certain set of religious and cultural biases. I cannot imagine "Father Elijah" being of much interest to readers 100 years from now (except as a curiosity exemplifying the "millenial fever" that is naturally in vogue at this time). I must point out that the book attempts to portray a realistic and "complete" world, but fails in that it is thoroughly and unwaveringly Catholic-centric. In this work, all Christians are Catholics; Protestants need not apply. This view is by no means offensive, but it seriously undermines O'Brien's ability to establish and maintain the "fictional dream." To a non-Catholic, the reliance upon Saints and Holy relics borders on the hysterical. Not in the sense that it is funny (it IS mildly so in several cases) but in the sense of emotional instability. One cannot help but think of the Enquirer's articles about the Virgin Mary's face growing in a cabbage head (readily visible to anyone who "believes"). I thought it interesting that in "The Name of the Rose" Eco has one of his characters point out that if all the "pieces of the True Cross" were piled together there would be enough wood to build an Armada (loosely quoted). When Father Elijah is given a sliver of the True Cross, the Father who gives it to him refers to this belief and claims that it is wrong; he KNOWS his piece is real. To a non-Catholic this is highly entertaining, romantic, mystical, and...ludicrous. As with other readers, I enjoyed this book immensely. In a world loaded with lousy fiction on utterly mundane or disgusting subjects it is a rare treat to find a novel like this. I sincerely hope that the sequel is able to build upon and improve the story; if O'Brien is able to focus on his craft and overcome some of his biases, he is clearly capable of delivering a blockbuster.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent--a truly moving experience.
Review: You will experience this book, not just read it. The author has taken current events and given them an explanantion that is not just plausible, but probable. You will never forget this book.
Rating:
Summary: An Orthodox Catholic View of the Apocalypse
Review: I find the other reviews fairly accurate, except that the lack of a satisfying ending bothered me more than most. If you crave closure, wait for the sequel to come out, then read them both. For a novel of ideas, this book avoids long-winded lectures, and it is most definitely thought-provoking. Catholics will get the most out of it.
Rating:
Summary: A "couldn't put it down because it made me think" novel.
Review: Because of its true-to-life characters and relevance to the state of the world today, "Fr. Elijah" was hard to put down. My only disappointment was that when the book was over, the story wasn't. The book, however, is complete and can be read with no prior knowledge of the author and his works.
While the term "apocalyptic" can properly be applied to this book and its themes, it's not at all a "scary" book, one meant to frighten, like so many "end of the world" books. This book made me think, made me look around and look within. If you've read any "apocalyptic" literature, including Biblical texts, you'll find "Fr. Elijah" much easier going, much closer to the real world, while still remaining challenging and accessible. I can't wait to read more by Michael O'Brien
|
