The Second Coming

Rating:
Summary: This is not what you think...
Review: I began reading this book thinking it would be an intelligent (as opposed to Lahaye's Left Behind) interpretation of Revelations. Nope, not even close. While the writing may be good, if you are a Christian, don't even bother. The central Character is all about New Age and Eastern Religions. At first I was thinking, OK, this must be the AntiChrist - pretty good portrayal. Then, two thirds of the way through, I finally gave up. The guy that wrote this obviously has never studied the Bible.

Sigh. Oh, well, perhaps one day there will be an accurate fictional account of what is in store for Earth in the end times.

Rating:
Summary: Out of touch with average Joe
Review: I read the review for this book at a website and thought it sounded interesting. It did sound interesting. But after two chapters, I was very bored, but continued on.

The main problem with this book is the author's failure to connect with the common man. This is fine...for those who want to do nothing more than preach to the choir. I did not agree with Aran's ideas and found the character to be smug, with an air of superiority over his interviewers and pundits. Quite frankly, most of his philosophies require a two-way street, which we know that in this day and age simply does not exist. No, this was a book tailor-made for intellectuals and idealists. There was an obvious disdain for corporate America and Judeo-Christian beliefs. People who disagreed with Aran were made out to be fools and simpletons. For example, the Arkansas governor was written as an extreme right-wing zealot, who was raised in an anti-slavery town, yet still was taught to believe that whites were better than blacks. I notced at the end of the book, the author notes how he did on-site research for several of the settings. I never saw a mention of Arkansas. I moved here five years ago from the west coast, and I think Dalmas would be very surprised at the liberal attitudes in this "Dixiecrat" state.

Moving on, I found the author's writing style repulsive. One of my pet peeves is the switch of points of view in the same scene. In The Second Coming, it happened in the same paragraph. In addition, I didn't find any of the characters particularly magnetic. Again, this just may be due to my inability to connect with the way those people think, but in other publications, I've found that I can at least understand why characters think a certain way. Watching the protagonist's inexorable plunge into the neo-cult was predictable and plodding.

The media clips were very cool. I could almost see those news reports on television. Also, Dalmas' prophesy of the GOP splitting and a Centrist movement gaining a foothold was thoughtful, if unlikely.

Bottom line: Unless you are a fan of new age philosophy and socio-economic reform in the USA, avoid this novel, which is full of socialistic drivel and anti-Americanism.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting scenario with some weaknesses
Review: Let me preface this by saying I know John Dalmas personally and he's a great guy. There is a lot of regional veracity here, especially in describing Spokane, where we both live. The only thing I noted that was off was that SeaFirst Stadium is now Avista Stadium; this book was written before Bank of America purchased SeaFirst Bank.

The main shortcoming to me was the large number of characters. I had a hard time connecting with some of them, especially Aran. If you don't identify with the doomed prophet, it's hard to get into this book. The character I liked best was Lee, a professional woman struggling with child custody and other family issues. Lee tries to protect her children as they are drawn more into the cult-like atmosphere of Millennial beliefs, and that resonated with me.

I was also surprised at the ending. The consequences of a global disaster are barely hinted at. In speaking with John, it had not been my impression this book was to start a series, but if it is number one of a series, the omissions make more sense. The full ramifications will obviously be explored in later volumes.

I do not recommend this book to anyone with strong Christian beliefs, as the New Age and Asian religious references will not appeal to you at all.

Deby Fredericks, author of The Magister's Mask

Rating:
Summary: Contrary to Popular Belief...
Review: The Second Coming is a singleton fantasy novel. Sometime in the near future, a Great Depression has the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse riding over the world. The Middle East has been devastated by the One-Day War and Israeli refugees are crowding into California. Four major parties vie for power in the United States; Florence Metzger, the current President, is from the Centrist party. Eight messiahs have been proclaimed since 2005, including two Islamic Madhis, one Buddhist Maitreya, and five Christians.

Ngunda Eliga Aran is one of these Christian messiahs, although he has not yet acknowledged his status. Born in Malawi of an African mother, his father was a New Zealander with Maori, Irish and English ancestry. A graduate of the University of Toronto in computer science, Aran became a research assistant at Advanced Artificial Intelligence Systems while going to grad school part-time. He became a vice president at AAIS at age twenty-five, but resigned at age thirty to pursue the spiritual side of his life. He eventually became a psychotherapist, then a new-age columnist, and founded Millennium to promote tolerance and compassion throughout the world.

In this novel, Lee Shoreff and her husband Ben are hired by Millennium and, with their two daughters, move out west to live at the organization compound. Lee has had a bad experience with a religious cult and is very suspicious of the organization's goals and lifestyle, but the depression has ruined her consulting business and Ben has lost his job, so they need the money. She becomes a close associate of Dove -- the name used for Aran by his inner circle -- and participates in many of the everyday functions as she redesigns the organization. Gradually she loses her apprehensions and starts to identify with the Millennium purposes.

Millennium has many enemies who feel a burning anger when they hear Dove speak. Luther Koskela is a mercenary soldier who has been hired by his uncles to assassinate Aran. Thomas Corkery is an ex-IRA thug who has been hired by the Catholic Soldiers of America to dispose of Aran. Other individuals and groups are also out to eliminate Aran and his teachings.

This novel is a story of the millennium and the second coming, but with a twist. This coming will not be the second, but more like the eighth, and the event will occur later than expected. Many of the signs will also be unexpected, but still unmistakable. Once again, the messiah will not conform to popular beliefs, but will nevertheless bring a definite and clear message to the world.

The novel incorporates many existing threads into this messianic tale, including Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's personality typing from the four Michael books. Many of the elements are new-age beliefs derived from Buddhist and other Oriental thinking. Thus, it will conflict with popular millennial thought. Overall, it depicts a very believable portrayal of the coming of an avatar to divert the world from a hateful and nonproductive path into one of increased cooperation and love.

Highly recommended for Dalmas fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of the intervention of higher powers into the ordinary world.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Rating:
Summary: Splendid feast for mind and spirit
Review: There's one thing about this book that doesn't measure up, namely the cover, which doesn't come close to doing it justice. Everything else about "Second Coming" is magnificent.

In this book John Dalmas explores a very simple question: In the two thousand years since Joshua bar Joseph of Nazareth taught among us, what would happen if the world needed another Great Teacher? This is not your usual science fiction premise, but in a genre which embraces everything from faster-than-light travel to bioengineering, it is a completely legitimate story premise, and Dalmas proceeds not merely to run, but to dance with it.

By that I mean that all of the questions which the premise question brings up find their way into the story. What sort of messiah might we need? What would he teach? What sort of followers would he gather? Who would listen? Who would neglect to listen? Who would stop up their ears and shout "La la la I can't hear you!"? Have the Great Questions changed? Have the answers to them done likewise? All of the above and more show up in a story filled with likeable (and despisable) people, action both spiritual and physical, stories, parables, some brief lectures, which are, after all, part of what any teacher would do, and jokes, including one so funny that I almost fell out of bed laughing.

This is not apocalyptic fiction, but solid food for the mind and spirit, with some of the most profound issues of philosophy explored in the course of a marvelously entertaining story. When I finished this book (at two in the morning!), I found my mind asking the oldest of all humanity's questions: "OK, what happens NEXT?"

This book is a joyous journey, well worth the time, and I'm looking forward eagerly to the promised sequel.

Rating:
Summary: Splendid feast for mind and spirit
Review: There's one thing about this book that doesn't measure up, namely the cover, which doesn't come close to doing it justice. Everything else about "Second Coming" is magnificent.

In this book John Dalmas explores a very simple question: In the two thousand years since Joshua bar Joseph of Nazareth taught among us, what would happen if the world needed another Great Teacher? This is not your usual science fiction premise, but in a genre which embraces everything from faster-than-light travel to bioengineering, it is a completely legitimate story premise, and Dalmas proceeds not merely to run, but to dance with it.

By that I mean that all of the questions which the premise question brings up find their way into the story. What sort of messiah might we need? What would he teach? What sort of followers would he gather? Who would listen? Who would neglect to listen? Who would stop up their ears and shout "La la la I can't hear you!"? Have the Great Questions changed? Have the answers to them done likewise? All of the above and more show up in a story filled with likeable (and despisable) people, action both spiritual and physical, stories, parables, some brief lectures, which are, after all, part of what any teacher would do, and jokes, including one so funny that I almost fell out of bed laughing.

This is not apocalyptic fiction, but solid food for the mind and spirit, with some of the most profound issues of philosophy explored in the course of a marvelously entertaining story. When I finished this book (at two in the morning!), I found my mind asking the oldest of all humanity's questions: "OK, what happens NEXT?"

This book is a joyous journey, well worth the time, and I'm looking forward eagerly to the promised sequel.

Rating:
Summary: exciting Hindu twist to return of the Infinite Soul
Review: Two thousand years ago, while the Roman Empire flourished, corruption also blossomed. In that moral void, the Infinite Soul arrived to pass the word.

The United States has made terrific progress on the race and gender fronts almost eliminating the negative isms from the dictionary as showcased by a black female president. However, the country is suffering from a drastic depression and as the original Rap said "violence seems as American as apple pie". Corruption and amoral behavior grows.

A cult forms around the teachings and miraculous abilities of Ngunda Aran, who insists he is not THE SECOND COMING, but just a guru preaching that love is the basic force of the universe and that fear is the corollary. Aran insists the Infinite Soul is coming back to coincide with an asteroid heading towards Earth, but not as a carpenter. This time he will return in the body of a married black Canadian software guru, who rejects the notion that he has Christ's soul inside his heart. Will this anointed one be nailed in the crosshairs of an Uzi from those who want him and his benefactor dead?

THE SECOND COMING is an exciting telling of the return of the Infinite Soul, but with a Hindu twist to the tale. As John Dalmas points out the philosophy and writings of Aran can be traced to Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's Michael novels making this book a treat for her fans. Though at times pontification slows down the plot, post-apocalyptic fans will take immense pleasure with this engaging story because Aran, the president, the Infinite Soul and his enemies seem genuine in a world heading either directly to heaven or hell with no in between rapture weigh station.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: exciting Hindu twist to return of the Infinite Soul
Review: Two thousand years ago, while the Roman Empire flourished, corruption also blossomed. In that moral void, the Infinite Soul arrived to pass the word.

The United States has made terrific progress on the race and gender fronts almost eliminating the negative isms from the dictionary as showcased by a black female president. However, the country is suffering from a drastic depression and as the original Rap said "violence seems as American as apple pie". Corruption and amoral behavior grows.

A cult forms around the teachings and miraculous abilities of Ngunda Aran, who insists he is not THE SECOND COMING, but just a guru preaching that love is the basic force of the universe and that fear is the corollary. Aran insists the Infinite Soul is coming back to coincide with an asteroid heading towards Earth, but not as a carpenter. This time he will return in the body of a married black Canadian software guru, who rejects the notion that he has Christ's soul inside his heart. Will this anointed one be nailed in the crosshairs of an Uzi from those who want him and his benefactor dead?

THE SECOND COMING is an exciting telling of the return of the Infinite Soul, but with a Hindu twist to the tale. As John Dalmas points out the philosophy and writings of Aran can be traced to Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's Michael novels making this book a treat for her fans. Though at times pontification slows down the plot, post-apocalyptic fans will take immense pleasure with this engaging story because Aran, the president, the Infinite Soul and his enemies seem genuine in a world heading either directly to heaven or hell with no in between rapture weigh station.

Harriet Klausner