PJ’s Comments (group member since Sep 03, 2010)

PJ’s comments from the Enlightenment Through Knowledge group.

Pick up a reincarnation novel, and you know what to expect, right? Not with James Long's "Ferney," a complex story that defies your expectations at every turn.

Spiritual/metaphysical content: Medium. Long plays with the idea of reincarnation in this unpredictable love story. What if, because they died together in the shadow of a mysterious stone in England's Dark Ages, a pair of lovers returns to the same place immediately after death, able to remember all their lives together? He side-steps the issue of reincarnation in general, focusing only on the experiences of Ferney and Gally. The "what ifs" allow him to pose a number of interesting questions, such as how would you behave differently if you retained all your memories? What if knowing your soul mate leads to moral dilemmas?

For me, the unexpected twists in what should have been a predictable reincarnation plot were worth the price of wading through the details of the multiple invasions of England. The great dilemma facing Gally and her husband as she helps the dying Ferney--her soul mate and fifty years her senior--kept me guessing even after I turned the last page and left me wishing for more.

A more complete review is posted at http://fictionforanewage.com/

My new favorite new age novel is "The Kin of Ata Are Waiting For You," by Dorothy Bryant. This is the book I’ve been longing to find: A gem of a story that’s been waiting for rediscovery as new age fiction. This is a well-written, lyrical novel that exemplifies new age fiction at perhaps its finest.

I loved this book. Part of its allure is its depth; it can be read at multiple levels: as an intriguing trifle of sci-fi/fantasy, an introduction to broader spiritual principles, or an insightful analysis of some of modern society’s ills and how new age/metaphysical thought can not only ease the many sufferings of our world but also provide a model of sustainable growth and development.

Has anyone read this novel before? Or anything else by Bryant? I so enjoy unexpected finds like this!

I gave "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" another read after 20 years, and it still gripped me--although the spiritual part seems muted and understated compared to more contemporary agnostic spiritual fiction.

Was Pirsig one of the first novelists in the 20th century to popularize spiritual/new age fiction? I can't think of any other novels that made such an immediate and listing impact on the reading public as he did. Can you?

BTW, I'm starting a blog dedicated to finding and sharing current new age fiction. Check it out if you're interested. And please let me know of any books that you can recommend--thanks, all. http://pjswanwick.wordpress.com.

I also like Coelho, although his work doesn't really grip me the way that good fiction does. Same thing with Albom--good, but not great. The Holotropic Mind sounds really interesting. Thanks!

Alexander, I totally agree. Well said.

There's a lot of great nonfiction available about metaphysical/new age/new thought/mindfulness topics, but what about fiction? What are you all reading?

I really liked "The Art of Racing in the Rain," but its reincarnation/mindfulness subtheme is fairly muted. "The Celestine Prophecy" is a start, I suppose, except that it's not very well written.

What fiction are you reading that fills your soul?