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Powers of Light #1
An Abyss of Light
When the Galactic Magistrates - aliens with incredible destructive capability - forced world after world to join their Union of Solar Systems, only the Gamant people continued to resist subjugation. For although the Magistrates' Union brought peace and prosperity, it also stole the indivuality of its member races.
And to the humans known as the Gamant people, their heritage was more important than life itself. For they were the Chosen ones, blessed with the gift of the Mea Shearim - an interdimensional gateway to God. But were the beings of light with whom wearers of the Mea communed actually God and the angels? Or were they aliens beyond the comprehension of flesh and blood mortals, a race to whom the Gamants were mere pawns in some universe-spanning game?
Either way, the Gamant faith would soon receive its ultimate test as the Galactic Magistrates mobilized to put an end to their rebellion, even as many among them turned to a messiah who might betray them all...
And to the humans known as the Gamant people, their heritage was more important than life itself. For they were the Chosen ones, blessed with the gift of the Mea Shearim - an interdimensional gateway to God. But were the beings of light with whom wearers of the Mea communed actually God and the angels? Or were they aliens beyond the comprehension of flesh and blood mortals, a race to whom the Gamants were mere pawns in some universe-spanning game?
Either way, the Gamant faith would soon receive its ultimate test as the Galactic Magistrates mobilized to put an end to their rebellion, even as many among them turned to a messiah who might betray them all...
464 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 1, 1990
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 28, 2018
An Abyss of Light By Kathleen M. O’Neal
Review: Showing in a dynamic and imaginative way the expression of human nature and how people face the chaos of life, and the suffering of life. Kathleen had created an epic tale of human persecution, and change wrapped in the stars of science fiction. The Gamant people are a religious sect who is self-dividing under persecution. One part is the old religion that is believed true or pure is being destroyed by a corrupt and manipulative sect. Milcom-Aktarile is a fallen angel that wants to control the people the Gamant people. Epagael the god of the Gamant people seems to be out of touch, the people are being destroyed from without and within. Doubt has been building in Epagael and his support of his people. Milcom has a new prophet who is trying to teach the people a new path. While his helpers are trying to destroy the Gamant population for profit, and show his sadistically terrible nature.
Will the Magistrates on the outside finally destroy the Gamant belief system and control the divergent population? Will Milcom and his religious cult destroy the Gamant people from within? Or Through the Mea Sharem will Epagael find a leader to save his people?
Joseph Campbell in the quotes from the power of myth has a great saying that relates to this book in my mind. "People say that what we're all seeking is a meaning for life. I don't think that's what we're really seeking. I think that what we're seeking is an experience of being alive, so that our life experiences on the purely physical plane will have resonances within our own innermost being and reality, so that we actually feel the rapture of being alive. That's what it's all finally about, and that's what these clues help us to find within ourselves."
Review: Showing in a dynamic and imaginative way the expression of human nature and how people face the chaos of life, and the suffering of life. Kathleen had created an epic tale of human persecution, and change wrapped in the stars of science fiction. The Gamant people are a religious sect who is self-dividing under persecution. One part is the old religion that is believed true or pure is being destroyed by a corrupt and manipulative sect. Milcom-Aktarile is a fallen angel that wants to control the people the Gamant people. Epagael the god of the Gamant people seems to be out of touch, the people are being destroyed from without and within. Doubt has been building in Epagael and his support of his people. Milcom has a new prophet who is trying to teach the people a new path. While his helpers are trying to destroy the Gamant population for profit, and show his sadistically terrible nature.
Will the Magistrates on the outside finally destroy the Gamant belief system and control the divergent population? Will Milcom and his religious cult destroy the Gamant people from within? Or Through the Mea Sharem will Epagael find a leader to save his people?
Joseph Campbell in the quotes from the power of myth has a great saying that relates to this book in my mind. "People say that what we're all seeking is a meaning for life. I don't think that's what we're really seeking. I think that what we're seeking is an experience of being alive, so that our life experiences on the purely physical plane will have resonances within our own innermost being and reality, so that we actually feel the rapture of being alive. That's what it's all finally about, and that's what these clues help us to find within ourselves."
December 25, 2017
This is a re-read of this series. I don't remember when I originally read them, but I believe it was early to mid-1990's.
I've been wanting to re-read for quite some time, but I had a difficult time finding them until I stumbled on a complete set at powells.com!
I've been wanting to re-read for quite some time, but I had a difficult time finding them until I stumbled on a complete set at powells.com!
August 1, 2020
The first two books in this series have been tucked away on a bottom book shelf for decades. These are used books I picked somewhere. The spine of the first book is creased, clearly showing that someone read it. The second is pristine, clearly show that it has never been read. I should have taken that as an omen of where this was heading.
I vaguely recall briefly reading the first chapter or two years ago, but I quickly abandoned it as being too dense and uninteresting. That opinion has only intensified after suffering through the entire book.
The story continually avoided anything I would describe as science or speculative fiction, and instead slipped into an uninteresting morass of religious mumbo jumbo. No, a passing reference to interstellar travel does not make a book science fiction any more than a passing reference to a dead body makes a work a mystery.
To be fair, the end did attempt a climactic scene with science fiction elements. Unfortunately, it was far too late to peak my interest. By then I had suffered through increasingly long bouts of completely avoiding a book whose plot and characters held no interest.
Anyone want a couple free used books? One is in pristine condition.
I vaguely recall briefly reading the first chapter or two years ago, but I quickly abandoned it as being too dense and uninteresting. That opinion has only intensified after suffering through the entire book.
The story continually avoided anything I would describe as science or speculative fiction, and instead slipped into an uninteresting morass of religious mumbo jumbo. No, a passing reference to interstellar travel does not make a book science fiction any more than a passing reference to a dead body makes a work a mystery.
To be fair, the end did attempt a climactic scene with science fiction elements. Unfortunately, it was far too late to peak my interest. By then I had suffered through increasingly long bouts of completely avoiding a book whose plot and characters held no interest.
Anyone want a couple free used books? One is in pristine condition.
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June 9, 2019I have the german edition: Das Licht von Kayan
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews