What do you think?
Rate this book
A View From a Height #1-2
A View From a Height
Here is a love story. But it is not the usual kind of love story. It is about the kind of love that can send the world spinning in new directions without the world even knowing that it was done. A discovered manuscript tells of a life that bridges the spirit world and the physical world. This manuscript tells the story of how, after a near death experience, a young Chinese girl develops the ability to observe and affect events at a distance. Her use of these psychic talents may change the world for good or evil. While traveling out of her body, Xiao Chen becomes involved in the heroic struggle of incarnate spiritual beings to undo a terrible mistake - a mistake of a previous life that is having devastating consequences in this one. A fantastic adventure that takes place in the real world of today, this is a tale of the undercurrents of existence of which we may be totally unaware. This volume includes "The Dakini" and "The Bodhisattva", complete in one volume.
ebook
First published November 8, 2008
2 people are currently reading
55 people want to read
About the author
J.E. Murphy
16 books3 followersGoodreads Page of J E Murphy, author, poet, philosopher, credologist, student of natural history, anthropology, sociology, genetics, and politics. Novels include A VIEW FROM A HEIGHT, THE GOD VIRUS, THE NEXT BUDDHA, CONFESSIONS OF A CHIMPMANZEE, AFRICA'S CHILDREN, and 5 BILLION YEARS ALONE.
His books are currently available from many online sellers, including Amazon.com, BarnesAndNoble.com, Lulu.com and Smashwords.com.
I am a retired network analyst, a writer and author, a world traveler, a SCUBA diver, a philosopher, and a student of humanity. My second biggest question in life is: What makes us "human"? The biggest question is, of course: What is it all about, anyway?
As I was growing up, the books that I most enjoyed reading were those that showed me a new way of looking at the world that I had never thought of before. Some were non-fiction, but most were fiction, and many of them were science fiction and fantasy. This is because science fiction and fantasy allows an author to step totally outside the box of any particular world view, and look back at it and show it to the reader in this new way. That is what I want to do. Like the authors before me, it is not my intent to say the world is really this way or that way, but just to say here is another idea, let's take a look at it together and see where it goes.
I am the author of four novels:
A View from a Height
The Next Buddha
The God Virus
Confessions of a ChimpManZee
Africa's Children
5 Billion Years Alone
plus one book of short fiction:
The Last Romanian Frogman
They are available through my Amazon page, or at my Smashwords page or at my Lulu page, or at Barnes and Noble, etc.
His books are currently available from many online sellers, including Amazon.com, BarnesAndNoble.com, Lulu.com and Smashwords.com.
I am a retired network analyst, a writer and author, a world traveler, a SCUBA diver, a philosopher, and a student of humanity. My second biggest question in life is: What makes us "human"? The biggest question is, of course: What is it all about, anyway?
As I was growing up, the books that I most enjoyed reading were those that showed me a new way of looking at the world that I had never thought of before. Some were non-fiction, but most were fiction, and many of them were science fiction and fantasy. This is because science fiction and fantasy allows an author to step totally outside the box of any particular world view, and look back at it and show it to the reader in this new way. That is what I want to do. Like the authors before me, it is not my intent to say the world is really this way or that way, but just to say here is another idea, let's take a look at it together and see where it goes.
I am the author of four novels:
A View from a Height
The Next Buddha
The God Virus
Confessions of a ChimpManZee
Africa's Children
5 Billion Years Alone
plus one book of short fiction:
The Last Romanian Frogman
They are available through my Amazon page, or at my Smashwords page or at my Lulu page, or at Barnes and Noble, etc.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 12, 2011
Article first published as Book Review: A View from a Height by J.E. Murphy on Blogcritics.
The meaning of life seems so much a part of what we wonder on a daily basis, and is a question that is asked by almost everyone at some point in their life. While there seem to be no real answers, there is always the foray into spiritualism, which seems to give its own form of answers. At the same time, even this sojourn often leaves just as many questions.
In A View from a Height J.E. Murphy takes us into the world of a young woman Dawn Bang. Born of Chinese decent she has always felt she is different. She could hear things others could not; she could feel the pulse of the world. Living in Hawaii, she is also made to feel different, and as she grows up, she finds it easier to block out the sounds and feelings with alcohol and drugs. Living a life of desperation and shame, she is unprepared for her death when it happens. Taking a stand to save and endangered species as her boyfriend of the time races down the roadway to kill it, she grabs the steering wheel and runs them into a muddy ditch. This however is not the end, it is as she tries to pull herself from the muddy, wet ditch and she grabs what she believes is a branch to help, she finds herself looking down on the crumpled body of a young woman. Even as she watches emergency vehicles show up, she sees that this woman is her, and that the branch was actually a live wire that was knocked down by the impact of the car.
It would seem that this is the end of her journey, yet it appears as though it was not her time at all. As she finds herself in a beautiful place full of love and understanding her fear disappears. This is a place of transition, but she is made aware that there is more for her in the world. She has a job to do and she has not even begun. Even as she feels the love and acceptance, she is abruptly pulled back into her own body, here in the real world.
So begins the beautiful, yet painful, soulful and amazing life of a woman who becomes more than who she is. This is a truly enlightening tale of love and war, of the menaces of pride and of how this young woman begins a journey that is so fundamentally real, yet becomes so much more.
The Story was not what I expected as I picked it up. I was initially daunted at the size of the work, and yet as I began the story I had trouble putting it down. As I moved on to other tasks it followed me, keeping my thoughts on what would happen next. I felt the depth of her joy, and the pain and degradation with her. As she connects with others that are on parallel journeys with her, they too became my friends and mentors. I found an odd connectedness about this book that is hard to decipher. The descriptions are vivid and the tone is flowing. The evil that would often infect the world in her journey was truly something that seemed both real and unnerving.
For the science fiction and reality buffs, Murphy introduces us to an amazing dirigible, used to transport many of the characters from the West Coast, to Hawaii and on to China. This is an integral part of the process of the book and gives us another layer of thought. It is an amazing machine and the computer technology alone is exciting. The intricate and amazing description of the vehicle creates a wonderful backdrop for much of what happens throughout the story.
There is so much and more of this book than I can explain. I would recommend it for those who feel a spiritual connection, who believe in karma and often have questions on life. I would also recommend it for those who want to know more about the world, and there is a kaleidoscope of places to read about. It would be a marvelous book for a book club and reading group, adding discussion upon discussion. It would be a great book for your permanent library. The information and the story itself could be reread time after time. This book will take you on a journey, only you can decide if it is one you want to transverse.
This book was received as a free e-book from the author. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.
The meaning of life seems so much a part of what we wonder on a daily basis, and is a question that is asked by almost everyone at some point in their life. While there seem to be no real answers, there is always the foray into spiritualism, which seems to give its own form of answers. At the same time, even this sojourn often leaves just as many questions.
In A View from a Height J.E. Murphy takes us into the world of a young woman Dawn Bang. Born of Chinese decent she has always felt she is different. She could hear things others could not; she could feel the pulse of the world. Living in Hawaii, she is also made to feel different, and as she grows up, she finds it easier to block out the sounds and feelings with alcohol and drugs. Living a life of desperation and shame, she is unprepared for her death when it happens. Taking a stand to save and endangered species as her boyfriend of the time races down the roadway to kill it, she grabs the steering wheel and runs them into a muddy ditch. This however is not the end, it is as she tries to pull herself from the muddy, wet ditch and she grabs what she believes is a branch to help, she finds herself looking down on the crumpled body of a young woman. Even as she watches emergency vehicles show up, she sees that this woman is her, and that the branch was actually a live wire that was knocked down by the impact of the car.
It would seem that this is the end of her journey, yet it appears as though it was not her time at all. As she finds herself in a beautiful place full of love and understanding her fear disappears. This is a place of transition, but she is made aware that there is more for her in the world. She has a job to do and she has not even begun. Even as she feels the love and acceptance, she is abruptly pulled back into her own body, here in the real world.
So begins the beautiful, yet painful, soulful and amazing life of a woman who becomes more than who she is. This is a truly enlightening tale of love and war, of the menaces of pride and of how this young woman begins a journey that is so fundamentally real, yet becomes so much more.
The Story was not what I expected as I picked it up. I was initially daunted at the size of the work, and yet as I began the story I had trouble putting it down. As I moved on to other tasks it followed me, keeping my thoughts on what would happen next. I felt the depth of her joy, and the pain and degradation with her. As she connects with others that are on parallel journeys with her, they too became my friends and mentors. I found an odd connectedness about this book that is hard to decipher. The descriptions are vivid and the tone is flowing. The evil that would often infect the world in her journey was truly something that seemed both real and unnerving.
For the science fiction and reality buffs, Murphy introduces us to an amazing dirigible, used to transport many of the characters from the West Coast, to Hawaii and on to China. This is an integral part of the process of the book and gives us another layer of thought. It is an amazing machine and the computer technology alone is exciting. The intricate and amazing description of the vehicle creates a wonderful backdrop for much of what happens throughout the story.
There is so much and more of this book than I can explain. I would recommend it for those who feel a spiritual connection, who believe in karma and often have questions on life. I would also recommend it for those who want to know more about the world, and there is a kaleidoscope of places to read about. It would be a marvelous book for a book club and reading group, adding discussion upon discussion. It would be a great book for your permanent library. The information and the story itself could be reread time after time. This book will take you on a journey, only you can decide if it is one you want to transverse.
This book was received as a free e-book from the author. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.
January 19, 2014
The author wrote "I have always enjoyed most the books that expanded my horizons and showed me new ways to look at the world. I hope that someday, people will say my books did that for them." He succeeded doing that with me for the most part. I was honored to receive a free copy of A VIEW FROM A HEIGHT from the author approx 2 years ago but I had to put it aside for numerous reasons. I now believe having to wait to read it potentially contributed to what the author hoped it would do for someone (as stated above) and that would be me. This novel is a difficult one to explain but one definitely has to have an open mind to take in and enjoy all that it covers. Having an open mind, I enjoyed this novel immensely. It is a very long story and, with little reading time, it took me a few months to finish. I believe it covers almost every genre but a select few. The Amazon & Goodreads description of this novel do not do it justice. It is far more. Goodreads reader L.A. Wright does a good job adding to its description and, like L.A., I was daunted by its length but could not put it down after delving into it. What did it do for me personally? Read on ...
If I didn't know better I would think that my husband wrote this novel and I was to read it at this time (close to a year and a half after I lost my beloved husband of 14 1/2 years). If the circle of life works as depicted in this ‘story’ perhaps my husband did write it. If the story described in this novel is how the cosmos and humanity works - I want in. While reading, and after finishing Murphy’s A VIEW FROM A HEIGHT, I feel like my husband is only a heartbeat away from me albeit in a different space and time. My husband & I talked about death and belief systems throughout our marriage and he felt death was not ‘the end’ of life as energy cannot be destroyed - it has to go somewhere. I simply don’t know what happens after death or why life even exists and am one of the biggest skeptics on the planet. Yet this novel, however, has helped given me comfort for the rest of my days. Most especially helping me deal with losing my husband. I received this novel before his death but read it afterward and when I needed it most. That is how powerful this novel or ‘story’ is. Just about every topic is covered in this novel; from many belief systems to politics to karma to reincarnation to science to physics and astronomy and everything in between. I suggest it highly!
For those who read a lot - Isaac Asimov wrote a book included several essays of his and was called VIEW FROM A HEIGHT. While Asimov concentrates on a variety of topics including biology, science and science fiction so does J. E. Murphy. In Murphy's novel he brings in some science fiction in quite an ingenious way and in a way that literally takes the characters - and us readers - around the world although it is science fiction that could come to fruition with time (an airship operated by a manmade machine but a machine that has a name & personality and somewhat human). Perhaps Asimov gave this author some inspiration to add some advanced sci-fi to add to his novel to make it even more interesting and thought-provoking. I don’t know where & how J.E. Murphy got all his ideas and thus create such a loving novel as a result but, according to him, it was just natural. I thank him for his candid & honest statement re: getting great help with editing the grammar and spelling but the meat of the novel is pure uninhibited inspiration.
If I didn't know better I would think that my husband wrote this novel and I was to read it at this time (close to a year and a half after I lost my beloved husband of 14 1/2 years). If the circle of life works as depicted in this ‘story’ perhaps my husband did write it. If the story described in this novel is how the cosmos and humanity works - I want in. While reading, and after finishing Murphy’s A VIEW FROM A HEIGHT, I feel like my husband is only a heartbeat away from me albeit in a different space and time. My husband & I talked about death and belief systems throughout our marriage and he felt death was not ‘the end’ of life as energy cannot be destroyed - it has to go somewhere. I simply don’t know what happens after death or why life even exists and am one of the biggest skeptics on the planet. Yet this novel, however, has helped given me comfort for the rest of my days. Most especially helping me deal with losing my husband. I received this novel before his death but read it afterward and when I needed it most. That is how powerful this novel or ‘story’ is. Just about every topic is covered in this novel; from many belief systems to politics to karma to reincarnation to science to physics and astronomy and everything in between. I suggest it highly!
For those who read a lot - Isaac Asimov wrote a book included several essays of his and was called VIEW FROM A HEIGHT. While Asimov concentrates on a variety of topics including biology, science and science fiction so does J. E. Murphy. In Murphy's novel he brings in some science fiction in quite an ingenious way and in a way that literally takes the characters - and us readers - around the world although it is science fiction that could come to fruition with time (an airship operated by a manmade machine but a machine that has a name & personality and somewhat human). Perhaps Asimov gave this author some inspiration to add some advanced sci-fi to add to his novel to make it even more interesting and thought-provoking. I don’t know where & how J.E. Murphy got all his ideas and thus create such a loving novel as a result but, according to him, it was just natural. I thank him for his candid & honest statement re: getting great help with editing the grammar and spelling but the meat of the novel is pure uninhibited inspiration.
December 30, 2011
Do you contemplate the meaning of life? Have you ever given any thought to what happens after death? Many people believe in 'the afterlife'. So what is it really? Some believe that we all have a responsibility to better ourselves through multiple lives which we do through reincarnation or rebirth. As our 'souls' venture forward from our bodies they are given the opportunity to be reborn into another life to improve on past mistakes and/or learn more about the true meaning of life as we know it. The book A View From A Height delves into those beliefs in great depth and gives the reader many things to ponder about the journey through life, or lives.
This book is long, huge to be more accurate, and takes quite a while to absorb all the information that the author has included. One problem I found is that most of the first part, book 1, reads almost like a text book on the metaphysical. The amount of information is daunting, and may turn some readers away from continuing. The information is given in the guise of a conversation but this 'conversation' is mostly one sided and continues for pages and pages. Some, like me, will skim these pages just to get through them and continue with the story. The information is interesting and thought provoking, but I quickly got bored, so I skimmed.
The story starts out with Dawn Bang growing up in Hawaii and experiencing racial discrimination. As many young people, she became rebellious and ends up in a car accident in which she is thrown into a water filled ditch and electrocuted. It is not 'her time' so she is sent back to improve on her life and continues in the mortal world while also 'living' in the spiritual world. Her improved life continues as she learns from different sources about the spiritual side of life. As her persona evolves she meets different characters that influence her life and choices.
The author has done a wonderful job of mixing science fiction, metaphysics and a thriller all into one thought provoking book. If you can get through the massive amount of information this is a very worth while read that I think most will enjoy.
This book is long, huge to be more accurate, and takes quite a while to absorb all the information that the author has included. One problem I found is that most of the first part, book 1, reads almost like a text book on the metaphysical. The amount of information is daunting, and may turn some readers away from continuing. The information is given in the guise of a conversation but this 'conversation' is mostly one sided and continues for pages and pages. Some, like me, will skim these pages just to get through them and continue with the story. The information is interesting and thought provoking, but I quickly got bored, so I skimmed.
The story starts out with Dawn Bang growing up in Hawaii and experiencing racial discrimination. As many young people, she became rebellious and ends up in a car accident in which she is thrown into a water filled ditch and electrocuted. It is not 'her time' so she is sent back to improve on her life and continues in the mortal world while also 'living' in the spiritual world. Her improved life continues as she learns from different sources about the spiritual side of life. As her persona evolves she meets different characters that influence her life and choices.
The author has done a wonderful job of mixing science fiction, metaphysics and a thriller all into one thought provoking book. If you can get through the massive amount of information this is a very worth while read that I think most will enjoy.
December 24, 2011
I know it seems like self-promotion for an author to review and rate his/her own book, but I don't even feel like I wrote this one. The only work I did was format it some, and correct the spelling and grammar (and I had major help with that). I guess I also wrote the translator's notes. But the rest of the novel, the real meat, was dictated to me by Dawn Bang, also known as Xiao Chen, the angel Metatron, Kwan Yin, and several other names. This is her story, and she settled down in my head and would not leave me alone until I had typed out everything she had to say.
I love this story. Dawn weaves a tapestry of mystery and adventure that extends far past the living of one life. Yet, she pulls all the threads together so that, through her telling, one begins to see how causality flows not just within our individual lives, but also through them and on to the next ones, and even connects our seemingly closed little world with the larger unseen one. Our world is an island, not just in space, but also within something else, something infinitely larger than the cosmos of space and time. Visitors come and go from that vast ocean, visitors such as Dawn herself, and we rarely, if ever, recognize them as visitors -- because, like Dawn, we are the visitors.
I hope you will forgive me for writing a review of my own novel, but I loved writing it and I love reading it, and I hope you will too.
J E Murphy
I love this story. Dawn weaves a tapestry of mystery and adventure that extends far past the living of one life. Yet, she pulls all the threads together so that, through her telling, one begins to see how causality flows not just within our individual lives, but also through them and on to the next ones, and even connects our seemingly closed little world with the larger unseen one. Our world is an island, not just in space, but also within something else, something infinitely larger than the cosmos of space and time. Visitors come and go from that vast ocean, visitors such as Dawn herself, and we rarely, if ever, recognize them as visitors -- because, like Dawn, we are the visitors.
I hope you will forgive me for writing a review of my own novel, but I loved writing it and I love reading it, and I hope you will too.
J E Murphy
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews