SOMEWHITHER is currently a candidate for the Dragon Con Award, and I hope any reader wishing to support my work will consider voting for it. Sign up is here: http://application.dragoncon.org/dc_fan_awards_signup.php
To promote interest in the book, I thought I would find some excuse to discuss and describe it.
I read a review from a year ago from a reviewer who, after saying that he could read something written by a Christian with an open mind, based on the merit of the work alone, tried to read and review SOMEWHITHER.
He manfully attempted to overcome his loathing of me to see whether my work was worth reading. Or, at least, he said he would try.
Like Gaul, it is in three parts:
I am too reserved to proffer an opinion as to whether he succeeded in his venture.
Bigotry of any kind is difficult to uproot, and bigotry against Christians is more difficult than most. Not only does it caress and magnify one’s pride and hardheartedness, Christophobia is lauded and rewarded by every sign of honor modern society can bestow on the conformist mind. To express contempt and hatred toward Christians is regarded as the apex of good taste, civility and proper breeding.
Few men possess the exceptional character needed to overcome such seductive pressure. No one should be blamed for falling short of the exceptional.
I am grateful with profound gratitude that even one reviewer thinks my humble work worthy of being read. Many a would-be writer never enjoys the privilege. Even a bad review is a compliment for the same reason that even the worst knight on the field of battle is still a knight. Many works are not worth the time needed to dissect their errors and shortcomings. This reviewer held my was worth it. I thank him.
Be that as it may, in his review, he explains why three of my creations are in his eyes unbelievable, merely the author’s fiat rather than a well-thought out counterfactual speculation, hence failures as works of art: the Cainim, who are basically a paleolithic version of the immortals from Highlander, but creepier; the vampires, who are basically vampires, but Greek; and Foster Hidden, who basically has the gold ring of the Nibelung from Wagner’s opera, and learned the arts of Alberich the dark elf.
Let me explain what are my three make believe alternate worlds are before quoting the reviewer’s report as to why he found them unconvincing as literary devices.
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