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The Calling
Disciplined. Gifted. Unique. Prized. These are the monks of the Shingai Order. Dedicating their lives to creating harmony from chaos, the Shingai have a never-ending job in a broken Empire. Their knowledge is so rare, their talents so vast, that every ruler desires even a single monk as advisor, making the Shingai very selective in who they choose to serve.
Ending his years-long training, Junior Initiate Hsulor will embark on a journey to discover which of the three Shingai paths he is to follow. Trained in the Ways of the Owl, Swan, and Tiger – disciplines of science, art, and fighting – Hsulor will be tested through the Calling, a series of trials to determine his future. Once complete, he will be sent into the Empire to serve as his ancestors have before him, guiding the galaxy’s future.
But the young initiate will encounter new beliefs apart from the teachings of his people. As the consequences of each test grow, so do the consequences of new ideas. Hsulor will confront the millennia-old teachings of his Masters, held as long as there have been monks to pass them.
The Calling takes you around the galaxy and into the heart of belief as one young Shingai searches for meaning and purpose in his life and the lives of his people.
Ending his years-long training, Junior Initiate Hsulor will embark on a journey to discover which of the three Shingai paths he is to follow. Trained in the Ways of the Owl, Swan, and Tiger – disciplines of science, art, and fighting – Hsulor will be tested through the Calling, a series of trials to determine his future. Once complete, he will be sent into the Empire to serve as his ancestors have before him, guiding the galaxy’s future.
But the young initiate will encounter new beliefs apart from the teachings of his people. As the consequences of each test grow, so do the consequences of new ideas. Hsulor will confront the millennia-old teachings of his Masters, held as long as there have been monks to pass them.
The Calling takes you around the galaxy and into the heart of belief as one young Shingai searches for meaning and purpose in his life and the lives of his people.
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First published July 27, 2011
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August 28, 2014
This novel is an unusual science fiction story. It's a sci fi setting that tells the tale of one man's spiritual journey. Hsulor has been trained by the Shingai and sets out to find his calling and his place in the galaxy.
In The Calling, we deal with space travel and different worlds but this mostly seems to be the result of exploration of humans from Earth who have terra formed other worlds either for their own ideology or just for breathing room.
The book is divided into three sections. The first has Hsulor solving a mystery involving scientific research and rigid parties that refuse to cooperate with him or each other, the second involves his search for perfection to fulfill a test for the Shingai, and the third involves him helping futuristic Jews evacuate a planet where they've been persecuted by hostiles.
While the ultimate destination of a character matters in a book like this, it's really the journey that determines the quality of the book and Yocum does a solid job. The book builds a complex universe where humans have formed some new as well as familiar societies. However, it's the characters that truly make this journey worthwhile from a woman Hsulor meets on a space station to a single mother he meets on another world. Most poignant of all is the final section and the men Hsulor fights along. Individually, the characters are breathing and fascinating. Collectively, the idea that the space age will continue to see the Jewish people persecuted yet still fighting for their existence is both heartbreaking and yet inspiring.
This is a very enjoyable, thoughtful, and evocative read and I heartily recommend it.
In The Calling, we deal with space travel and different worlds but this mostly seems to be the result of exploration of humans from Earth who have terra formed other worlds either for their own ideology or just for breathing room.
The book is divided into three sections. The first has Hsulor solving a mystery involving scientific research and rigid parties that refuse to cooperate with him or each other, the second involves his search for perfection to fulfill a test for the Shingai, and the third involves him helping futuristic Jews evacuate a planet where they've been persecuted by hostiles.
While the ultimate destination of a character matters in a book like this, it's really the journey that determines the quality of the book and Yocum does a solid job. The book builds a complex universe where humans have formed some new as well as familiar societies. However, it's the characters that truly make this journey worthwhile from a woman Hsulor meets on a space station to a single mother he meets on another world. Most poignant of all is the final section and the men Hsulor fights along. Individually, the characters are breathing and fascinating. Collectively, the idea that the space age will continue to see the Jewish people persecuted yet still fighting for their existence is both heartbreaking and yet inspiring.
This is a very enjoyable, thoughtful, and evocative read and I heartily recommend it.
Displaying 1 of 1 review