Rating: 
Summary: Nice job, in all.
Review: My own irreverent streak was delighted to make the acquaintance of Morrow's, and it's just as obvious that Morrow's irreverence, like mine, belies a deep and serious appreciation for religious and philosophical issues.I have only one disappointment to voice (not enough to rate the book fewer than 5 stars, but enough to produce a philosophical gripe): the notion (propounded by several characters in "Blameless") that "ontological necessity" is nearly irrefutable is bunk. A truly omnipotent God could create a universe in which people comfortably exist with what would seem to US to be paradoxical and unreliable laws of nature. There is no good reason why God should be confined by human notions of (onto)logical necessity. Some of Morrow's characters suggest that such a universe would be confusing and inconsistent; this is true, but only from OUR point of view in THIS universe. The eternally happy inhabitants of the comfort-verse would disagree. Thus, God is not exculpated, for God is not chained by paradox. He could have created a happier place, and our universe is NOT the best of all possible worlds. This is an easy and obvious rebuttal to "ontological necessity." I'm surprised that none of Morrow's characters is brave enough to take it seriously. None of this, however, detracts from the fact that Morrow wrote a damn good story. Hats off, sir. I'm currently reading and loving "Only Begotten Daughter."
Rating: 
Summary: A Worthy Successor to "Towing Jehovah"
Review: Set a few years after the events of Towing Jehovah, Blameless in Abaddon is a modern-day retelling of the Book of Job (the Old Testament tale wherein God allows Satan to visit unspeakable atrocities against the world's most pious man). Blameless follows the travails of Martin Candle, a small-town judge in Pennsylvania. Martin is a late-bloomer, finally marrying a woman with whom he's madly in love. Life is looking just about perfect, but then Martin simultaneously develops terminal prostate cancer and loses his wife in a freak auto accident. Railing against the cruelty of the cosmos, he sets out to bring God to account. Martin founds a support group called the Job Society, whose goal is to convince the U.N. to try Jehovah at The Hague for crimes against humanity. By now God's corpse is owned by the American Baptist Confederation: the Baptists, determining that there is still some neural activity in the divine brain, have placed the "comatose" Deity in a vast refrigerated life-support chamber in a Florida theme park called Celestial City USA. God, being unconscious and therefore technically alive, is extradited to the Netherlands for trial. Blameless in Abaddon, detailing the troubles which befall Martin - not to mention looking back at the horrors of human history - can be downright depressing, although Morrow makes it as palatable as possible, using a healthy dose of his usual dry wit. What follows is a bizarre theodicy (an exploration into why a benevolent God would allow evil to be visited upon the innocent). We journey (literally) into the mind of God, and witness the Trial of the Millennium as Jehovah's critics and apologists go toe-to-toe in the World Court. Despite its generally bleak outlook, Blameless in Abaddon is a worthy sequel to Towing Jehovah. The surprise ending and final philosophical revelation are worth the trail of suffering which precede. John C. Snider, Editor ...
Rating:
Summary: Morrow had better watch his back...
Review: Since he seems intent on upsetting anyone with a religious and/or spiritual bent. Or, at least he is vainly trying to make people try to question their true motives for belief. Morrow presents, in the guise of rather humourous story of an dying man's attempt to sue God, most of the fundamental philosophical arguments for and against the existence of an all-knowing deity. In fact, I don't think anyone's views, even the lowly eliminative materialists, are spared. You would have to read a very big pile of philosophical treatises to get as many viewpoints as captured in this book. In combination with Morrow's humour and rather interesting storyline this book is hard to put down. Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: Morrow is unforgetable
Review: This is my favorite book, and i was sad to see it end. I had read Towing Jehova, and didn't expect this the surpass it, but it did. I haven't seen such a gritty look at religion since Mark Twain's "Letters From Earth" (another favorite of mine). No sides are taken in this all out battle between victims and supporters of God.
Rating:
Summary: Wow!
Review: This is one of my favorite books. It mixes philosophy, fantasy, satire, and suspense in a wrapped up tail of revenge. The allusions to literary works are astounding, though may be unapparent to all but a few. The precursor and postcursor to this novel are good also, but this one takes the cake by leaps and bounds. Unlike other trilogies this novel can stand alone and does so very well. I have recommended this booke without qualms to all of my friends and will continue to recommend Mr. Morrow as his writing standard is high. James Morrow has provided me with many smiles and if he continues to write he will make the rest of my life a joy.
Rating: 
Summary: Imagination meets ridiculousness
Review: When imagination fulminates too hard, it turns into drivel and this author got to that point. I guess "god satires" aren't for everyone, but it all seemed like a sophomore essay in a land where the sophomores have hairy tails and ears and mark trees to denote their territory. James Morrow has marked his territory and now I don't want to go into that area of the forest.
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