The Catholic Book Club discussion

2. Is the ending satisfying? If so, why? If not, why not...and how would you change it?

For me, the ending is satisfying, precisely because when one could expect the end of the world and the second Coming to start being described, the book suddenly closes. I don't like novels to be too detailed, too explicit. I prefer those where the readers are expected to fill the voids in the plot by themselves. In this context, the best (short) story I have read is "The golden key," by George MacDonald. Even now there are things I have not caught, so it gives me constant enjoyment.

Manuel wrote: "For me, the ending is satisfying, precisely because when one could expect the end of the world and the second Coming to start being described, the book suddenly closes. I don't like novels to be to..."

When i read the ending i have to read secondly, because i am so young, and i am very immature in a matter of faith, i do not understand the mystery of Paurasia, now i understand it was the perfect ending. This novel inspired the brilliant creations of 666 Hugo Wast, The Papers of Benjamin Benavides was written by Leonardo Castellani, "Elijah in Jerusalem" was written by Michael D. O`Brien (in my opinion the ending of Robert Hugh Benson is much better than Michael D. O`Brien`s ending. Michael D. O`Brien is a good novelist, but he did not get to write good endings), and Lucifer was written Wendy Alec. We also compared with Omen a novel, who told the birth and the childhood of antichrist.

I did not understand the ending. Wonderful that all the Cardinals have a strong inner experience, but is that a prelude to their death and the eradication of Catholicism, as intended? Why doesn't Christ return to earth as promised at a point like this?
And if the volors are delivering something like nuclear weapons, why does this affect only the target and not the whole world, especially those who drop the bombs?
Why is the Pope simply, passively "waiting for the end"? (p. 199) His role earlier in Rome seems too bureaucratic, not pastoral enough (as prefigured when he responds to the volor crash).

I understand the end to mean that just as the Antichrist was getting ready to eradicate Catholicism, Christ's second coming takes place, the end of the world takes place, and everything disappears at the same time, not because of bombs, but even before the bombs are dropped. This is how I understand the final words:
Then this world passed, and the glory of it.

Of the last-but-two paragraphs before the end, the first one (He was coming now, swifter than ever, the heir of temporal ages and the Exile of eternity, the final piteous Prince of rebels) refers to the Antichrist. The second (He was coming--and already the shadow swept off the plain and vanished) refers to Christ.

Thank you, Manuel, that clarifies things.

Manuel wrote: "I understand the end to mean that just as the Antichrist was getting ready to eradicate Catholicism, Christ's second coming takes place, the end of the world takes place, and everything disappears ..."
In my case when i read the novel. I had the same problem of Jill. However i agree with Alfonseca Christ will come back with the falling of antichrist. One thing that my friend said to me the nature is against the antichrist. It is a twilight novel, but apparently defeat of the Pope Sylvester III hide the triumph.

Felsenburgh is sometimes described as the Antichrist, sometimes as Satan himself.

Jill wrote: "Felsenburgh is sometimes described as the Antichrist, sometimes as Satan himself."

In my opinion is the antichrist. Satan i do not believe that he incarnated in a human being.

Manuel wrote: "I understand the end to mean that just as the Antichrist was getting ready to eradicate Catholicism, Christ's second coming takes place, the end of the world takes place, and everything disappears ..."

This was how I understood it as well. I went back and re-read the last couple pages several times - it is a dramatic finish.

Fonch wrote: "Jill wrote: "Felsenburgh is sometimes described as the Antichrist, sometimes as Satan himself."

In my opinion is the antichrist. Satan i do not believe that he incarnated in a human being."

I went back and forth on this. While not incarnated, he could appear, right? This would seem to explain his extraordinary personal magnetism.

John wrote: "Fonch wrote: "Jill wrote: "Felsenburgh is sometimes described as the Antichrist, sometimes as Satan himself."

In my opinion is the antichrist. Satan i do not believe that he incarnated in a human ..."

The evangelion said everybody pay attention to his words. Meanwhile Christ was rejected, the antichrist was acceptted. It is very interesting to compare Felsenburgh, with the politician of the Father Elijah, was written by Michael D. O`Brien (in this novel Father Elijah made an exorcism, but he failed). Other antichrist is the monkey Shift in the Chronicles of Narnia Last Battle, in this case Tash and the monkey are different. In the novel 666 was written by Hugo Wast appeared the antichrist he is married with a woman called Jezabel.

Sarah wrote: "The ending was very beautiful. I loved the imagery.

I thought Felsenburgh was Satan disguised as a human...but I might have been mistaken.

I only wish Oliver Brand converted."
To the topic of antichrist i recomend the foreword of the novel of "Elijah in Jerusalem" in this prologue Michael D. O`Brien wrote about the posible candidates to be antichrist. In my opinion the antichrist is the opposite to Jesus Christ. The comunist leader Yagoda was depressed because he was not the antichrist. A part of this i want to recomend the novel of the Aregentinian Jesuit writer "The Papers of Benjamin Benavides", and the spanish writer Jorge Saez Criado, a common friend mine and Manuel Alfonseca wrote his own novel about the Apocalypse title "Apocalypse" http://readontime.es/APOCALIPSIS-JORG... the only problem is that it is only in spanish, but i read his previous novel Crying Blood, and i am sure that his view of the Apocalypse will be excellent.

Sarah wrote: "The ending was very beautiful. I loved the imagery.

I thought Felsenburgh was Satan disguised as a human...but I might have been mistaken.

I only wish Oliver Brand converted."

I didn't expect Oliver to convert, but was hoping Mabel would and would perhaps be one of the first Christians martyred under the new law.

Sarah wrote: "So the Communist leader Yagoda WANTED to be the Antichrist? That's absurd.

Thanks for the recommendations, Fonch!"

Yes i give my word that is truth i read in the book "Monstri de lla razioni" was written by Rino Cammilleri an interesting attack against utopias, between them comunism, nazism, and others. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... They have another prophecy, that i expect it was not kept he said that the most half of the crimes will have a satanic matter :-(.
Besides Yagoda was not the only case, Yagoda wanted be the antichrist, and Karl Marx was written by the satanic poem Oulanem the oppositte of Emanuelo.

I have to confess that i have never waited that Brandt converted to the catholic faith. He was obsessesed with the socialism is Mabel who looked for the truth. It is the prove that the utopia of antichrist who promise the paradise in the earth is a big lie. Robert Hugh Benson usually has simple novels, very good written, with excellent seconsdary characters Mabel in "Lord of world", Cardinal Bellairs in "Dawn of All" (with a unforgottable speech in the English Parliament, very actual nowadays), and the exnecromancer Catchart in "Necromancers". It is really curious i suppose that this thing i must discuss with my friend Alfonseca. He has his particular apocalypse in his awesome novel "The lost continent" the last part of his saga Magic Jigsaw. The thing that i want to discuss with my friend Alfonseca that he is a big admirer of C.S. Lewis. Lewis wanted to write a novel obsessed with the hiden esoteric. What had it happened if C.S. Lewis had read Robert Hugh Benson, or he had known Robert Hugh Benson`s novels.
A part to conclude Robert Hugh Benson has a very famous brother Edward Frederick Benson, he is very well known for being the creators of the female characters Lucia, and Mapp.