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The Fourth Quill
What if you learned that the AIDS virus was the result of bioweapons research gone bad, and that somebody knew and was hiding the truth? What if there's a cure? Could you trust your source of information? Could you trust your own perceptions? Could you act on such information? And what would you do? This is the situation that San Francisco AIDS counselor Jonathan Stiers finds himself enmeshed in in this wisdom-tinged thriller novel by gay spiritual writer, student of Joseph Campbell and former editor of White Crane Journal Toby Johnson.
Originally published in 1987 when AIDS was still a mystery disease, successful treatments had not been developed and spiritual/attitudinal healing—of soul, if not of body—was the only hope, this novel, with its explanations of healing and presentation of wisdom from A Course in Miracles and The Lazy Man's Guide to Enlightenment, was originally titled A Novel about Healing.
Twenty-five years later, the novel's quandary about the nature of evil and its message of hopeful acceptance and love of life are still relevant, perhaps even more so. The story of the "fourth quill" comes from an Indian tale about a previous incarnation of the Buddha who discovers the "treasure of the ages" and it's not what he'd expected; Johnson retells the tale and derives a meaningful and life-affirming attitude that transcends the specific issues of AIDS in the 1980s.
The Fourth Quill recasts the story into a parallel universe with a surprising and happy ending where Jon Stiers really can wonder if he has brought about the cure of AIDS. Woven through the hero/adventure plot are two lovely and heartwarming romances, one straight, one gay—both with unexpected twists. A little modern, scientific and sensible and a little mystical, The Fourth Quill exemplifies Toby Johnson's style of dramatizing gay spirit through storytelling and speculative fiction. This is a parallel universe readers will likely remember and come back to.
Originally published in 1987 when AIDS was still a mystery disease, successful treatments had not been developed and spiritual/attitudinal healing—of soul, if not of body—was the only hope, this novel, with its explanations of healing and presentation of wisdom from A Course in Miracles and The Lazy Man's Guide to Enlightenment, was originally titled A Novel about Healing.
Twenty-five years later, the novel's quandary about the nature of evil and its message of hopeful acceptance and love of life are still relevant, perhaps even more so. The story of the "fourth quill" comes from an Indian tale about a previous incarnation of the Buddha who discovers the "treasure of the ages" and it's not what he'd expected; Johnson retells the tale and derives a meaningful and life-affirming attitude that transcends the specific issues of AIDS in the 1980s.
The Fourth Quill recasts the story into a parallel universe with a surprising and happy ending where Jon Stiers really can wonder if he has brought about the cure of AIDS. Woven through the hero/adventure plot are two lovely and heartwarming romances, one straight, one gay—both with unexpected twists. A little modern, scientific and sensible and a little mystical, The Fourth Quill exemplifies Toby Johnson's style of dramatizing gay spirit through storytelling and speculative fiction. This is a parallel universe readers will likely remember and come back to.
298 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 19, 2012
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August 8, 2015
Ok. It was good, it was different. It reflects the emotions and feelings in a time the the homosexual community was in uproar in the 1980s. People getting infected with the HIV virus, AIDS is a death sentence as well as a judgement and the isolation is a punishment, that kills people. The scream for human contact, a hug, a touch and the desperation, when rejection hurt more than the pain that came with the disease, are permeating the pages. That is the hard part to get through. Then comes the more action laden part, where the MC Jon witnesses a nervous breakdown and a sudden death, runs for his life with paperwork that may point to a conspiracy in regards to the HIV virus and runs into a villain that may be more than just pure evil. The last part is a combination of the action part and the spiritual part that is talked about in the beginning. There are twists and turns I did not see coming and I can say that once I got over the depressing start I really got into the story. There is no sex but that would take away from the story and the brand new safer sex movement. It is full of love and forgiveness, of hate and prejudice, of hope and despair.
Having been just a child and teenager when the first massive waves of AIDS hit the world and made the news and living far away and in a heterosexual bubble, I have to admit that I noticed even then, that the research only started when the first heterosexual people caught HIV and the realization hit that anyone could be a victim of the virus. With that background knowledge this is a very angst(y) read.
Having been just a child and teenager when the first massive waves of AIDS hit the world and made the news and living far away and in a heterosexual bubble, I have to admit that I noticed even then, that the research only started when the first heterosexual people caught HIV and the realization hit that anyone could be a victim of the virus. With that background knowledge this is a very angst(y) read.
Displaying 1 of 1 review