Unknowable Death

by Richard Garfinkle

Toby Matheson, a seven-year-old boy, sees Death, opening his mind to the worlds around our own.

Toby Matheson, a seven-year-old boy, discovers the body of his brother-in-law. The sight drives him mad.

Beyond the world, Toby Matheson searches to understand the mystery of Death guided by his otherworldly sister.

Toby's sister Lisa is sent to jail for the death of her husband. Wanting to help her, Toby learns to hide his madness.

Growing in this world and others, Toby seeks whomsoever revealed Death unto him.

Toby, growing in skill at seeing the world through mad eyes, searches for the murderer.

Which of these is true?

That is not the Mystery.

***

Richard Garfinkle grew up in New York and now lives in Chicago with his wife and children. His first novel, Celestial Matters, won the Compton Crook award for best first science fiction novel of 1996. Garfinkle was a finalist for the Nebula Award and twice for the John W. Campbell Award for best new writer. He has written numerous fiction and nonfiction works on his interests of history, science, imagination, and the preternatural. More information can be found at www.richardgarfinkle.com.

Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Richard Garfinkle grew up in New York and now lives in Chicago with his wife and children. His first novel, Celestial Matters, won the Compton Crook award for best first science fiction novel of 1996. Garfinkle was twice a finalist for the John W. Campbell Award for best new writer. He has written numerous fiction and nonfiction works on his interests of history, science, imagination, and the preternatural.

More information can be found at www.richardgarfinkle.com.

Garfinkle's blog is "Overdue Considerations,"

Reviews

[Alessandra]

I can't fairly review this work as my husband wrote it. My opinion is pretty biased, of course.

[T. H. Jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I struggled with the poor condition of the Kindle version of this piece - ride with grammatical errors. I also struggled to connect with the story and it's characters. The narrator is extremely unreliable, presumed to be insane, and determining what is real and fiction - in the context of the story - is challenging. The concept is charged and intriguing, but feels to me like it needs polish.