Sometime between the years of A.D. 81 and A.D. 96, a persecuted Christian called John the Divine went to the Greek island of Patmos and wrote the BOOK OF REVELATION. Theologians and scholars to this day do not know if this author was also St. John the Apostle, personal friend of Jesus Christ. However, detractors and the devout alike all agree that the product of “John’s” pen has demonstrated itself as one of the most mysterious books ever written. It is a book of wonders and horrors, of ciphers and hints, of truth and the most terrifying confusion. It is a book of riddles, symbols, and metaphors that presage the end of the world. It is a book endlessly discussed and bitterly argued over. However, in its illuminated pages lie one passage which seems wholly literal and free from the need for interpretation.
It’s a pinpoint physical description of Heaven.
Some twenty-two hundred years later, the world is much different than is it today. It is a stultifying theocracy in which “God” (whichever name His followers choose to give him) is worshiped, praised, and hallowed via incomprehensible technologies and horrifying philosophies. And now, after a few more centuries of analysis, astrophysicists and monumental cryptographic computers have deciphered all of the clues that John the Divine infused into his not just the appearance of Heaven but also its exact location.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Edward Lee is an American novelist specializing in the field of horror, and has authored 40 books, more than half of which have been published by mass-market New York paperback companies such as Leisure/Dorchester, Berkley, and Zebra/Kensington. He is a Bram Stoker award nominee for his story "Mr. Torso," and his short stories have appeared in over a dozen mass-market anthologies, including THE BEST AMERICAN MYSTERY STORIES OF 2000, Pocket's HOT BLOOD series, and the award-wining 999. Several of his novels have sold translation rights to Germany, Greece, and Romania. He also publishes quite actively in the small-press/limited-edition hardcover market; many of his books in this category have become collector's items. While a number of Lee's projects have been optioned for film, only one has been made, HEADER, which was released on DVD to mixed reviews in June, 2009, by Synapse Films.
Lee is particularly known for over-the-top occult concepts and an accelerated treatment of erotic and/or morbid sexual imagery and visceral violence.
He was born on May 25, 1957 in Washington, D.C., and grew up in Bowie, Maryland. In the late-70s he served in the U.S. Army's 1st Armored Division, in Erlangen, West Germany, then, for a short time, was a municipal police officer in Cottage City, Maryland. Lee also attended the University of Maryland as an English major but quit in his last semester to pursue his dream of being a horror novelist. For over 15 years, he worked as the night manager for a security company in Annapolis, Maryland, while writing in his spare time. In 1997, however, he became a full-time writer, first spending several years in Seattle and then moving to St. Pete Beach, Florida, where he currently resides.
Of note, the author cites as his strongest influence horror legend H. P. Lovecraft; in 2007, Lee embarked on what he calls his "Lovecraft kick" and wrote a spate of novels and novellas which tribute Lovecraft and his famous Cthulhu Mythos. Among these projects are THE INNSWICH HORROR, "Trolley No. 1852," HAUNTER OF THE THRESHOLD, GOING MONSTERING, "Pages Torn From A Travel Journal," and "You Are My Everything." Lee promises more Lovecraftian work on the horizon.
Well suck me sideways! Did I just enjoy an Edward Lee novel???
I make no apologies when I say I usually find Lee super overrated and don’t understand fans’ love of his work, as, generally, I feel he relies far too much on shock value, rather than great content.
That’s not the case for In the Year of Our Lord: 2202. Unlike most of work, this one is actually good. It’s one of those very rare novels that manages to do exactly what it sets out to do, and that’s be a creepy sci-fi/horror/religious mash up that’s hard to put down and keeps the reader invested until the very end.
There are still typical Lee hallmarks (the over reliance on sex being a main thing), but it’s actually very restrained and more soft core than some of Lee’s more extreme stories. I also found the ending a bit rushed. Though it did end in a way I definitely didn’t see coming.
I never thought I would recommend Edward Lee, but here we are. 2202 is, so far, in the year of our lord: 2021, the biggest surprise and I honestly never would have imagined that happening.
This is a fun and quick read from the master of extreme horror, Edward Lee. The premise of the book is original and Lee spins an interesting tale. Definitely recommend to all as this one is not as extreme as some of his other work.
I’m struggling with how I feel about this and how to review this book. The idea of this story is amazing. The end is amazing. But of a 174 page book, 171 1/2 pages were meh (at best). This could have been an incredible religious mystery/ horror novel where Ridley Scott meets Graham Hancock and Zachariah Sitchen meets Dan Brown (maybe?), but instead I get a super short book. One where all the mystery is spoon fed to us right front the get go and the women are all described by a 15 yr old looking at his first 1980’s porno mag. Honestly if this is ever made into a movie, it should go straight to Skinemax, or some soft core cable channel. I was finishing the book up thinking at least it was quick enough and the premise good enough to at least finish, when page 174 had me audibly say, “Fuck.” Now I don’t know whether to still dislike it or if the end made up for it in any way.
Awesome short story! Everything I enjoy about Edward Lee books (well, this one is pretty tame actually) in a future setting! I loved it! I would love to see more Edward Lee books in this setting.
I wish this book was easier to get other than paperback, Necro Publications has a lot of great stories abandoned and impossible to get legally.
This is a great read from Edward Lee, one that is not very reminiscent of his more violent work but it stills retains it's classic essence of occultism and twists. This book basically asks what would happen if after reaching our max technological potential as humans, God decided to reveal the precise location of heaven.
The worldbuilding is amazing and clever, managing me to believe that The Vatican became the greatest world power and cracked the code for interstellar travel. The main character is a bit cartoon-ish but the rest are well written. I wish the ending wasn't so rushed, but it doesnt take away how good the rest of the story is.
PLEASE, whoever is in charge of Necro Publication's legacy, release this available for purchase again.
This is the second book I've read by Edward Lee (The Teratologist was the first one, and it was okay, but wasn't very impressed to be honest), and it was such a page-turner. Pure cosmic horror. The setting is 2202, the world is ruled by a theocracy, Heaven has been located in space, and a ship has been sent there... Edward Lee is noted for his brutality and huge amount of sex scenes, but since this is the second book I've read from him I can only compare it to The Teratologist, and it didn't have many to be honest. What was interesting for me was the plot and the sci-fi setting mixed with the biblical ideas and cosmic horror. I haven't read many books using Revelations and the location of Heaven as part of the plot, and not many dare to do it. I wanted more descriptions of certain things, and the story was very short, but highly addictive. Recommended for fans of Lovecraft and cosmic horror in general.
A big surprise. Edward Lee caught me off guard with this one. While the story has some violent scenes, they are far apart, and the book is much less extreme than most of his work.
A crew is certain they found the exact location of god, just waiting for them in space. While they get closer to their destination, some people start to go mad. Who is going to greet them once they arrive? You'd best go into this without knowing much.
I do wish the book went a bit deeper, and carried on for a little longer. This could have been expanded into much more, and possibly become one of my favorites. I still very much enjoyed the story, especially for that ending.
Lee finally wrote a book without red necks again. Been awhile. Sadly the people talk like rednecks. Edward Lee needs to surround himself with normal people so his characters sound real. Science officers, captains, and etc. all sound like idiots you would come across at a local bar.
3.5 En veldig underholdene sci-fi/cosmic horror bok. Skikkelig page turner. Det er noe blod og gørr her, men til å være en bok av Edward Lee så er det ganske nedtona. Synes slutten var veldig kul, men litt rusha. Boka kunne også godt vært lenger. Men alltid i alt er artig bok.
A futuristic ship goes on a supply run when revealed the true nature of their course the real location of heaven. But there is few on board the ship that want to take over the mission. Didnt realize this was a cthulhu book until the last page.