The Fire Comes to Thérèse

by Allen Shoff

Sent to Freyja, one of Earth's most distant colonies, to complete his tertianship in the Jesuit Order, young priest Father Martin soon discovers that the universe holds a stark and alien beauty far beyond the warmth of mankind's ancestral home. But when the idyllic peace is shattered by the sudden spark of a long-smoldering political feud, the priest suddenly finds himself embroiled in the center of a potentially devastating interstellar conflict. Author Allen Shoff weaves an engaging and evocative story of hope in the midst of despair and humanity in the midst of injustice, grounded in Catholic philosophy and captivating characters. "The Fire Comes to Thérèse" is a new and exciting chapter in the wider world of contemplative science fiction.

499 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 1, 2016

About the author

Allen Shoff lives with his wife and three adorable children in the high deserts of the American West. Inspired by his faith and by the history and natural beauty of his surroundings, he seeks to bring life to stories that speak to the best of the human spirit. Showcasing worlds rich with carefully-researched science and technology, steeped in classical and Thomistic philosophy, and filled with memorable characters and settings, Allen Shoff’s work is designed to set a higher bar for modern science fiction.

Allen Shoff studied history and music at an undergraduate level before ultimately earning a J.D. in 2013. He is a practicing attorney and member of the Idaho State Bar.

Reviews

[Evan Þ. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This small-press Christian sci-fi novel follows a Jesuit priest sent to a newly-terraformed colony planet, where he founds a school and then much later gets caught up in trying to prevent an interstellar war from causing violence on that planet.

I wanted to like this book, and there's much to like in it - the setting, the interplay of characters, and the themes. But, it's told at a very slow pace. There's barely any actual tension until near the end; events happen with much time in-between and little need for our protagonist to make decisions. Even the politics leading to the war barely come up until halfway through. Nor do most characters grow during this plot.

So all in all, I'm glad I read this, but I wish someone had told this story better.

[Stephen Korsman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very enjoyable novel. It starts off slow and detailed, developing the universe first, and then the plot. Predicting endings as I read didn't work, which is good. I'm looking forward to sequels / other books in the same universe.