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Quantum Cat #3
Gaea
Gaea, the earth goddess, losing patience with Man because of his brutal, uncaring treatment of her planet and her creatures, decides to hit back--with the help of her relatives, the gods of the seas, storms and winds. Quant, the quantum cat and seraph of the Lord, keeps a close eye on her, to make sure she doesn't overstep the mark.
294 pages, Paperback
First published September 15, 2009
1 person is currently reading
6 people want to read
About the author
Robina Williams
6 books1 followerRobina Williams has an M.A. in Modern Languages from Oxford University and an M.Phil. in English Literature from Liverpool University. It occurred to her that Schrödinger's dead-and-alive Cat would make an interesting character for fantasy novels. She began her Quantum Cat series with “Jerome and the Seraph” in 2004; “Angelos” followed in 2006, and “Gaea” in September 2009.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 26, 2011
Anvilicious much? Wow. A wee bit excessive there. Robina had a point and she made it. Blatantly. Fortunately, the writing and story are enough to make up for that and still help me enjoy the novel.
This installment of the series leaves Jerome and, to a lesser extent, the friary to join Gaea (the goddess, i.e. Earth) in her quest. Luckily, Quant still features heavily and the general series' premise of what goes on beyond the material world, if you will, is still there and (mostly) consistent to tie the series together. And even though I may not have enjoyed this book as much as the previous one, I still hope that there will be more coming in the future.
While the previous stories definitely featured historical/mythological people/beings, this one is much more ambitious in the characters that it involves. As with the previous one, this story features mostly Christian saints and Greek mythology; though more of the latter. These characters are all rather enjoyable and crafted in a way that never made me uncomfortable trying to combine this books' personification of them with other stories'/traditions' descriptions. With the possible exception of Quant who takes some liberties of what Seraphs traditionally are/do (well, at least my understanding of them), but it wasn't too jarring since I like him too much and am used to him from the previous books where he was less commonly (I don't think at all in the first except the title) referred to as a seraph.
The weirdest thing that I kept noticing with these characters was their inner monologues. The previous books in the series also used characters' thoughts as a tool for embracing/expanding the concepts the author was trying to share/develop in the series. And while it may not have been ideal, it definitely wasn't intolerable. It worked and was acceptable - though sometimes the characters seemed rather slow to me, but that's neither here nor there. In this installment, there were more of the same; but what felt odd was whose thoughts they were. Sure, it made sense for Jerome who was recently deceased and just introduced to the thought that there were such things to consider to need to think about/be confused about it.
This story, though, starts off with St. George who - despite having a few more centuries than Jerome to ponder, still seems to be in pretty much the same boat of incomprehension. Then later, various deities - including Gaea, who's been around quite a long time - seem to just be starting to wonder about things that it seems like would have come up in their thoughts a long time ago. And while the previous books explored the concept of time and whether/how it existed, this time they didn't delve into it as much and the narrative gave the impression to me at least that many of the deities in question had lived through time from ancient Greece to the present so it seems like they should have had lots of time for such things to arise.
The topics of such thoughts seemed less to be the nature of time/mythology/how things work and more on the nature of God, the Almighty Lord and what He was capable of, etc. which is good in that the former would have seemed even more out of place in the minds of the characters. And again, it seemed like there was more thinking than really felt reasonable, especially considering how much of it happened in social situations. It was hard for me to imagine anything besides a lot of long awkward pauses for everyone else involved.
As for God. I can't recall another novel that personified Him as much as in this one. Hmm, not sure that's the best way to say what I mean. While God is in everything and is everything - as is pointed out to some extent - this story also gives Him a more physical/tangible being. In some ways it was done well, in some ways not so much. First off, when God Speaks, He Speaks With Every Word Capitalized. Which I find super annoying to read. Secondly, He seemed much more indefinite than I expected; He wasn't so much 'This Is What's Best This Is What We'll Do' but much more 'What Do You Think And Why And What About This'. And I'm not sure how I feel about that or if I read it again that I'll even have the same impression.
What I did like is how Williams described Him in ways that His Being was a person and the universe. He smiled and stars were formed. He frowned and the cosmos changed. She wrote about God in a way that, to me, really gave me an impression that He is big. Like really big. Everything. And I appreciated that.
Overall, I find the way that this series justifies the coexistence of all the gods and goddesses and beings and creatures and everything along with God and His angels and all that really quite intriguing. As a monotheist, it still works for me because there are gods but then there is God; the two are nowhere near the same as the former and entirely dependent and inferior to the latter. And as a Christian it works for me because that God is the judeo-christian God, with Jesus and all. While the first book did take place in a catholic friary, I still felt that it didn't really involve religion all too much - and just as how it was a rather generic religious order, any feelings of religion that happened in the story were generic christian-esque religions. The second book delved into the Christian God much more and this one even more so. As mentioned, when characters sat and thought, they generally thought about God and how they fit in under Him and what He wanted/did/was. And for the most part, I think it was well done. It helped that it really fit in with my general beliefs, of course, and the times when Williams wrote about displays of God's love and/or power, I felt it.
However, there were a few things that I felt were odd. Less important was that in the first book of the series, Jerome died and we saw what happened. In this book of the series, Quant and Gaea go to the underworld (a la Greek mythology) with Achelon, Styx, Tartarus, etc. and it appeared that in the story, both things happened when people died. Williams never got around to justifying/clarifying how both things happen - i.e. why did Jerome not have to deal with the River Styx will other souls do? Naturally, I made my own explanation which, upon reflection, doesn't actually work at all. While it wasn't involved in the plot at all, I feel that with all the previous exposition that went in to justifying and explaining the coexistence of the various pantheons, this was a definite hole. Also, while a couple Norse gods were mentioned off-handedly and there were frequent references to the "other pantheons", none of them ever played a part in everything that was going on. Sure, Williams had to limit the story somehow - if by nothing else then by her knowledge of various mythologies - but in retrospect it felt like something was missing. "We have to check with Poseidon to make sure he's ok with this" but apparently no other culture's/pantheon's gods who deal with the ocean matter too much.
A more significant issue (for lack of a better term) was in the story's dealing with humans. The main plot (and anvil) of the story was how Man needs to be more considerate of the earth and the creatures thereon. Especially in the beginning (and occasionally throughout), Gaea (and later some other gods) mention how humans are just regular creatures like everything else who's evolution got a little out of hand. Gaea is all for destroying them all. And even when talking to God, there isn't much said that humans are any more special or what have you than other creatures except that "the Almighty Lord seems rather fond of them".
This isn't an issue to me because I think that humans are inherently better or so on; instead, I feel it's an issue because the narrative seems to suggest that humans are inherently better. The story starts with St. George and St. Stephen creating snakes for a new world. (I was going to comment on this, but this review is long enough so I'll spare anybody who may be reading on my thoughts on this matter) The thing is, by all accounts, the other beings present in this design center and the only ones working on new creatures are human saints and angels. (Random note, Williams only ever mentioned Seraphs, archangels and angels. What happened to the other six (plus or minus, depending on the denomination) types of celestial beings in Christian canon?) In fact, the whole design center and God's own room were designed/decorated/painted/etc. by human artists or saints. There is no mention of, say, dolphin saints or lion sculptors. Just humans. Additionally, the gods and goddesses, the angels, the seraphs (there was another one besides Quant, though only as an extra) are all in more or less human form. (Or humans are in their form; take your pick). Even God is described in terms of the universe and human features.
The story was vague on who designed humans (well, it did specify that it wasn't Prometheus), whether it was God Himself or some saints/angels such as the ones designing creatures for the new planets or such; but by all evidence in the novel, humans are, in fact, special when compared to other creatures (such as the ones being designed by humans). The fact that nobody says anything to address this fact (besides mentioning that God seems to like them and that He died for them) is a big hole, in my opinion.
And before I end I'll insert my usual complaint about explaining the allusions. In this case, there was a lot of Greek mythology involved, some more obscure than others. As with her previous books, there are a few references to things with which I'm not familiar, which usually leads to me spending time on Wikipedia learning stuff. Which I really like. Unfortunately, Williams has a tendency to give the necessary background on characters. And while there was the appendix/notes at the back for many of the things like in the other two, this book had a lot of the background included in the story. So there would be a new character introduced and soon enough there were be a few paragraphs of the story of how the character is involve in Greek mythology. Which I don't like. It interrupts the story. Also, what's the point of using established characters if you're going to tell all about them anyway? The point (in my opinion) of using allusions - literary or otherwise - is that it adds much depth to the story without needing to take the time to interrupt the story to add said depth yourself. If you're going to give all the background for a character; be original and make a new character. If you're going to use a character that already has a lot of backstory; assume the audience knows/can learn about the backstory themselves and use that expected knowledge to improve the story, either by being more concise or by adding additional meaning to the story. (In this series it would be the former; using fewer words while still accomplishing the same thing in the plot).
Conclusion here, eh? As I probably mentioned in the previous reviews, the writing is great. It makes me laugh, it is powerful, it broaches big topics in an approachable manner. The plot is... pointed. Almost excessively so. It is used ambitiously, introducing many preexisting characters; considering much deeper thoughts than simply taking care of the world. And the writing is great: being in turns entertaining, enjoyable, powerful, hilarious, thought-provoking while staying clear and readable; ultimately telling of God's love, power and glory.
This installment of the series leaves Jerome and, to a lesser extent, the friary to join Gaea (the goddess, i.e. Earth) in her quest. Luckily, Quant still features heavily and the general series' premise of what goes on beyond the material world, if you will, is still there and (mostly) consistent to tie the series together. And even though I may not have enjoyed this book as much as the previous one, I still hope that there will be more coming in the future.
While the previous stories definitely featured historical/mythological people/beings, this one is much more ambitious in the characters that it involves. As with the previous one, this story features mostly Christian saints and Greek mythology; though more of the latter. These characters are all rather enjoyable and crafted in a way that never made me uncomfortable trying to combine this books' personification of them with other stories'/traditions' descriptions. With the possible exception of Quant who takes some liberties of what Seraphs traditionally are/do (well, at least my understanding of them), but it wasn't too jarring since I like him too much and am used to him from the previous books where he was less commonly (I don't think at all in the first except the title) referred to as a seraph.
The weirdest thing that I kept noticing with these characters was their inner monologues. The previous books in the series also used characters' thoughts as a tool for embracing/expanding the concepts the author was trying to share/develop in the series. And while it may not have been ideal, it definitely wasn't intolerable. It worked and was acceptable - though sometimes the characters seemed rather slow to me, but that's neither here nor there. In this installment, there were more of the same; but what felt odd was whose thoughts they were. Sure, it made sense for Jerome who was recently deceased and just introduced to the thought that there were such things to consider to need to think about/be confused about it.
This story, though, starts off with St. George who - despite having a few more centuries than Jerome to ponder, still seems to be in pretty much the same boat of incomprehension. Then later, various deities - including Gaea, who's been around quite a long time - seem to just be starting to wonder about things that it seems like would have come up in their thoughts a long time ago. And while the previous books explored the concept of time and whether/how it existed, this time they didn't delve into it as much and the narrative gave the impression to me at least that many of the deities in question had lived through time from ancient Greece to the present so it seems like they should have had lots of time for such things to arise.
The topics of such thoughts seemed less to be the nature of time/mythology/how things work and more on the nature of God, the Almighty Lord and what He was capable of, etc. which is good in that the former would have seemed even more out of place in the minds of the characters. And again, it seemed like there was more thinking than really felt reasonable, especially considering how much of it happened in social situations. It was hard for me to imagine anything besides a lot of long awkward pauses for everyone else involved.
As for God. I can't recall another novel that personified Him as much as in this one. Hmm, not sure that's the best way to say what I mean. While God is in everything and is everything - as is pointed out to some extent - this story also gives Him a more physical/tangible being. In some ways it was done well, in some ways not so much. First off, when God Speaks, He Speaks With Every Word Capitalized. Which I find super annoying to read. Secondly, He seemed much more indefinite than I expected; He wasn't so much 'This Is What's Best This Is What We'll Do' but much more 'What Do You Think And Why And What About This'. And I'm not sure how I feel about that or if I read it again that I'll even have the same impression.
What I did like is how Williams described Him in ways that His Being was a person and the universe. He smiled and stars were formed. He frowned and the cosmos changed. She wrote about God in a way that, to me, really gave me an impression that He is big. Like really big. Everything. And I appreciated that.
Overall, I find the way that this series justifies the coexistence of all the gods and goddesses and beings and creatures and everything along with God and His angels and all that really quite intriguing. As a monotheist, it still works for me because there are gods but then there is God; the two are nowhere near the same as the former and entirely dependent and inferior to the latter. And as a Christian it works for me because that God is the judeo-christian God, with Jesus and all. While the first book did take place in a catholic friary, I still felt that it didn't really involve religion all too much - and just as how it was a rather generic religious order, any feelings of religion that happened in the story were generic christian-esque religions. The second book delved into the Christian God much more and this one even more so. As mentioned, when characters sat and thought, they generally thought about God and how they fit in under Him and what He wanted/did/was. And for the most part, I think it was well done. It helped that it really fit in with my general beliefs, of course, and the times when Williams wrote about displays of God's love and/or power, I felt it.
However, there were a few things that I felt were odd. Less important was that in the first book of the series, Jerome died and we saw what happened. In this book of the series, Quant and Gaea go to the underworld (a la Greek mythology) with Achelon, Styx, Tartarus, etc. and it appeared that in the story, both things happened when people died. Williams never got around to justifying/clarifying how both things happen - i.e. why did Jerome not have to deal with the River Styx will other souls do? Naturally, I made my own explanation which, upon reflection, doesn't actually work at all. While it wasn't involved in the plot at all, I feel that with all the previous exposition that went in to justifying and explaining the coexistence of the various pantheons, this was a definite hole. Also, while a couple Norse gods were mentioned off-handedly and there were frequent references to the "other pantheons", none of them ever played a part in everything that was going on. Sure, Williams had to limit the story somehow - if by nothing else then by her knowledge of various mythologies - but in retrospect it felt like something was missing. "We have to check with Poseidon to make sure he's ok with this" but apparently no other culture's/pantheon's gods who deal with the ocean matter too much.
A more significant issue (for lack of a better term) was in the story's dealing with humans. The main plot (and anvil) of the story was how Man needs to be more considerate of the earth and the creatures thereon. Especially in the beginning (and occasionally throughout), Gaea (and later some other gods) mention how humans are just regular creatures like everything else who's evolution got a little out of hand. Gaea is all for destroying them all. And even when talking to God, there isn't much said that humans are any more special or what have you than other creatures except that "the Almighty Lord seems rather fond of them".
This isn't an issue to me because I think that humans are inherently better or so on; instead, I feel it's an issue because the narrative seems to suggest that humans are inherently better. The story starts with St. George and St. Stephen creating snakes for a new world. (I was going to comment on this, but this review is long enough so I'll spare anybody who may be reading on my thoughts on this matter) The thing is, by all accounts, the other beings present in this design center and the only ones working on new creatures are human saints and angels. (Random note, Williams only ever mentioned Seraphs, archangels and angels. What happened to the other six (plus or minus, depending on the denomination) types of celestial beings in Christian canon?) In fact, the whole design center and God's own room were designed/decorated/painted/etc. by human artists or saints. There is no mention of, say, dolphin saints or lion sculptors. Just humans. Additionally, the gods and goddesses, the angels, the seraphs (there was another one besides Quant, though only as an extra) are all in more or less human form. (Or humans are in their form; take your pick). Even God is described in terms of the universe and human features.
The story was vague on who designed humans (well, it did specify that it wasn't Prometheus), whether it was God Himself or some saints/angels such as the ones designing creatures for the new planets or such; but by all evidence in the novel, humans are, in fact, special when compared to other creatures (such as the ones being designed by humans). The fact that nobody says anything to address this fact (besides mentioning that God seems to like them and that He died for them) is a big hole, in my opinion.
And before I end I'll insert my usual complaint about explaining the allusions. In this case, there was a lot of Greek mythology involved, some more obscure than others. As with her previous books, there are a few references to things with which I'm not familiar, which usually leads to me spending time on Wikipedia learning stuff. Which I really like. Unfortunately, Williams has a tendency to give the necessary background on characters. And while there was the appendix/notes at the back for many of the things like in the other two, this book had a lot of the background included in the story. So there would be a new character introduced and soon enough there were be a few paragraphs of the story of how the character is involve in Greek mythology. Which I don't like. It interrupts the story. Also, what's the point of using established characters if you're going to tell all about them anyway? The point (in my opinion) of using allusions - literary or otherwise - is that it adds much depth to the story without needing to take the time to interrupt the story to add said depth yourself. If you're going to give all the background for a character; be original and make a new character. If you're going to use a character that already has a lot of backstory; assume the audience knows/can learn about the backstory themselves and use that expected knowledge to improve the story, either by being more concise or by adding additional meaning to the story. (In this series it would be the former; using fewer words while still accomplishing the same thing in the plot).
Conclusion here, eh? As I probably mentioned in the previous reviews, the writing is great. It makes me laugh, it is powerful, it broaches big topics in an approachable manner. The plot is... pointed. Almost excessively so. It is used ambitiously, introducing many preexisting characters; considering much deeper thoughts than simply taking care of the world. And the writing is great: being in turns entertaining, enjoyable, powerful, hilarious, thought-provoking while staying clear and readable; ultimately telling of God's love, power and glory.
April 20, 2010
In her latest release, Gaea, author Robina Williams joins the latest trend and goes green.
The book begins with a man dragging and kicking the body of a woman inside a ditch. Gaea, the Earth goddess, is unconscious, weak, and in severe distress due to men's constant brutal abuse and disrespect regarding nature's cycles and equilibrium. The animals of the forest are in awe at the scene unfolding in front of their eyes.
Quant comes into the scene disguised as Leo. He observes Gaea's condition and decides to help her. Together they go for a walk to the friary. During their walk Gaea complaints bitterly to Quant about men's selfish and reckless behavior and the suffering of her plants and animals. She also shares with Quant her idea of “how to teach men a lesson” they won't forget. Men must be stopped or better still get rid off once and for all!!!!! After all, the world was a better place before the Almighty created His beloved creatures, humans.
Quant listens to Gaea and tells her he shares her concerns for nature, too. However, he will show to her that not all men are reckless and disrespectful, and that some do care about nature and are doing their best to makes amends for the mistakes of the entire human race. Their visit to the friary was a refreshing experience for Gaea.
Gaea and Quant go to heaven where she has a meeting with the Almighty. There she continues her bitterly protest against humans. She states her case and requests permission to avenge her animals and nature. She wants humans wiped out of the entire planet! God reminds her that vengeance belongs to Him alone and he will not allow her or any of her family members to interfere with His plans for humanity. However, He grants her some lead way to teach men a lesson without causing too much damage.
Meanwhile, at the friary, Father Polycarp (Poly), the new guardian, announces his planned “green campaign” for the friary to the other brothers after one of their meals. This idea of having a garden with their homegrown fruits, vegetables, and some flower beds, at first, is not well received by the brothers. Most of them grumble, but are reminded by Fr. Polycarp of their vow of obedience. They all complied and adhered to Poly's guidelines for their “green campaign.” However, once they started to enjoy the fruit of their labor, the fuss is replaced with joy and gratitude.
During the rest of the story the reader will be taken to worlds known to humans only through tales, legends and myths. Or are they truly hidden from humans? The author's creativity shows an image of heaven never seen before. A place where saints have dragon pets that keep them busy and alert; Saints and other departed ones using their talents to fulfill the tasks assigned to them by their Creator, and Saints telling tales of their experiences as guardian angels and humans' silliness.
But not all places are pleasant like heaven. Gaea and Quant will be traveling to deep and frightening places where the condemned souls are constantly tortured with no way out, except upon the termination of their sentences. However, those places are inhabited also by some of Gaea's beloved family members. Together with Quant she travels from one pantheon to the next gathering allies and developing a plan that will satisfy her desires to take care of men and stay within the boundaries established by the Almighty. During their traveling Quant accompanied Gaea in his angelic form, a Seraph. Everywhere they go, Quant is looked at with suspicious eyes by the others. They know who he is and are wondering: why is he traveling with Gaea? How much authority do they really have on the scheme? Will Quant be influencing their decisions or maneuvers? All these questions will be answered as the reader travels along with Gaea and Quant through mysterious places and meet Gaea's family.
The end of the book is a celebration of victory and a waking call to humanity. I applaud the clever way in which the author incorporates today's concerns for the environment and weaves them into a story with elements from the world we know and the forces governing it, which are beyond our human understanding and comprehension.
Gaea is different from the two previous books in the Quant series. This one is an entertaining and innovative story that creates awareness of how our human behaviors affect other life forms sharing the planet with us. If we all do our part and measure up to the task, maybe we will receive an invitation to join the celebration at the end of the book.
The book begins with a man dragging and kicking the body of a woman inside a ditch. Gaea, the Earth goddess, is unconscious, weak, and in severe distress due to men's constant brutal abuse and disrespect regarding nature's cycles and equilibrium. The animals of the forest are in awe at the scene unfolding in front of their eyes.
Quant comes into the scene disguised as Leo. He observes Gaea's condition and decides to help her. Together they go for a walk to the friary. During their walk Gaea complaints bitterly to Quant about men's selfish and reckless behavior and the suffering of her plants and animals. She also shares with Quant her idea of “how to teach men a lesson” they won't forget. Men must be stopped or better still get rid off once and for all!!!!! After all, the world was a better place before the Almighty created His beloved creatures, humans.
Quant listens to Gaea and tells her he shares her concerns for nature, too. However, he will show to her that not all men are reckless and disrespectful, and that some do care about nature and are doing their best to makes amends for the mistakes of the entire human race. Their visit to the friary was a refreshing experience for Gaea.
Gaea and Quant go to heaven where she has a meeting with the Almighty. There she continues her bitterly protest against humans. She states her case and requests permission to avenge her animals and nature. She wants humans wiped out of the entire planet! God reminds her that vengeance belongs to Him alone and he will not allow her or any of her family members to interfere with His plans for humanity. However, He grants her some lead way to teach men a lesson without causing too much damage.
Meanwhile, at the friary, Father Polycarp (Poly), the new guardian, announces his planned “green campaign” for the friary to the other brothers after one of their meals. This idea of having a garden with their homegrown fruits, vegetables, and some flower beds, at first, is not well received by the brothers. Most of them grumble, but are reminded by Fr. Polycarp of their vow of obedience. They all complied and adhered to Poly's guidelines for their “green campaign.” However, once they started to enjoy the fruit of their labor, the fuss is replaced with joy and gratitude.
During the rest of the story the reader will be taken to worlds known to humans only through tales, legends and myths. Or are they truly hidden from humans? The author's creativity shows an image of heaven never seen before. A place where saints have dragon pets that keep them busy and alert; Saints and other departed ones using their talents to fulfill the tasks assigned to them by their Creator, and Saints telling tales of their experiences as guardian angels and humans' silliness.
But not all places are pleasant like heaven. Gaea and Quant will be traveling to deep and frightening places where the condemned souls are constantly tortured with no way out, except upon the termination of their sentences. However, those places are inhabited also by some of Gaea's beloved family members. Together with Quant she travels from one pantheon to the next gathering allies and developing a plan that will satisfy her desires to take care of men and stay within the boundaries established by the Almighty. During their traveling Quant accompanied Gaea in his angelic form, a Seraph. Everywhere they go, Quant is looked at with suspicious eyes by the others. They know who he is and are wondering: why is he traveling with Gaea? How much authority do they really have on the scheme? Will Quant be influencing their decisions or maneuvers? All these questions will be answered as the reader travels along with Gaea and Quant through mysterious places and meet Gaea's family.
The end of the book is a celebration of victory and a waking call to humanity. I applaud the clever way in which the author incorporates today's concerns for the environment and weaves them into a story with elements from the world we know and the forces governing it, which are beyond our human understanding and comprehension.
Gaea is different from the two previous books in the Quant series. This one is an entertaining and innovative story that creates awareness of how our human behaviors affect other life forms sharing the planet with us. If we all do our part and measure up to the task, maybe we will receive an invitation to join the celebration at the end of the book.
November 20, 2009
Gaea by Robina Williams ISBN 978-1-60619-183-5 Published by Twilight Times Books, Kingsport, TN. (SRP $18.95/Amazon $14.78) Book received from author directly.
Review by Chris Phillips
In Gaea, Williams has created a humorous adventure book. Gaea is the title character, and is believable as a typical of Greek goddesses. She is on a quest to prevent Man from destroying her (she is the Earth after all) and her creatures. Quantum, as the cat or the seraph, is the central character of the story while not truly doing much, exactly like a cat in real life. Also, Quantum is the central character in the series of which this is third. Williams combines Greek mythology, Christian mythology and environmentalism with a deft hand and smooth continuity.
Quantum appears as a cat to some, as a seraph to others, as a pillar of fire to still others, and sometimes as several different avatars at one time, depending on who is looking. Quantum, Quant or Leo depending on the person observing him, does provide a great jumping-off point for the series while each book can stand alone. Quantum as the observer and quiet advisor is given a unique role when little is known about the character throughout the book, his history or even his powers. Surprises abound when Quantum acts.
Williams has had a good time writing this story and fleshing out Greek Mythology beings. Also, she provides many details to fill in the world as Gaea travels on her quest. However, even Christian mythology is given a fair treatment with various Saints appearing very true to their human incarnations. She builds a consistent framework where all these systems interact and coexist. Williams has created a world view that includes all belief systems within one overview. She has applied her humor to make this seem very real and credible. Authors often attempt to deal with religious issues and cannot make it work, but Williams deals with it but does so with finesse.
From the standpoint of the writer’s craft, the best part technically of the book is that the characters are believable, alive, very well defined and described. The plot is well-thought out and well-developed, being consistent and smooth flowing. The friary is introduced as a very good counterpoint to Gaea’s quest with the interactions between the monks and Quantum in his guise as Leo to the monks providing some strong repartee.
The monks are also very entertaining. Brother Bernard is aware of there being something strange about Leo, but cannot place a finger on it and so just frets. The monks go about rediscovering the simple life and learning to be more eco-friendly.
The locations and scenes of Heaven, the underworld and the homes of the various gods and goddess of Greek tales, are illustrated and detailed enough to make anyone what to live. The characters are self-conscious and very aware of their limitations as they were displayed in the myths or legends from which they originate.
This book is a great read for anyone. It opens up the mind of the reader while keeping the plot consistent. Those readers interested in Greek mythology, intermingling religious systems and in speculations about the afterlife, Heaven and spiritual beings will be very entertained by the book. There is really nothing to offend any reader except for the fact that it is made very clear there are more books in the series.
This reviewer would love to review even more books from Williams and cannot wait until she writes another.
This book review is also on http://www.bookpleasures.com/websitep....
Review by Chris Phillips
In Gaea, Williams has created a humorous adventure book. Gaea is the title character, and is believable as a typical of Greek goddesses. She is on a quest to prevent Man from destroying her (she is the Earth after all) and her creatures. Quantum, as the cat or the seraph, is the central character of the story while not truly doing much, exactly like a cat in real life. Also, Quantum is the central character in the series of which this is third. Williams combines Greek mythology, Christian mythology and environmentalism with a deft hand and smooth continuity.
Quantum appears as a cat to some, as a seraph to others, as a pillar of fire to still others, and sometimes as several different avatars at one time, depending on who is looking. Quantum, Quant or Leo depending on the person observing him, does provide a great jumping-off point for the series while each book can stand alone. Quantum as the observer and quiet advisor is given a unique role when little is known about the character throughout the book, his history or even his powers. Surprises abound when Quantum acts.
Williams has had a good time writing this story and fleshing out Greek Mythology beings. Also, she provides many details to fill in the world as Gaea travels on her quest. However, even Christian mythology is given a fair treatment with various Saints appearing very true to their human incarnations. She builds a consistent framework where all these systems interact and coexist. Williams has created a world view that includes all belief systems within one overview. She has applied her humor to make this seem very real and credible. Authors often attempt to deal with religious issues and cannot make it work, but Williams deals with it but does so with finesse.
From the standpoint of the writer’s craft, the best part technically of the book is that the characters are believable, alive, very well defined and described. The plot is well-thought out and well-developed, being consistent and smooth flowing. The friary is introduced as a very good counterpoint to Gaea’s quest with the interactions between the monks and Quantum in his guise as Leo to the monks providing some strong repartee.
The monks are also very entertaining. Brother Bernard is aware of there being something strange about Leo, but cannot place a finger on it and so just frets. The monks go about rediscovering the simple life and learning to be more eco-friendly.
The locations and scenes of Heaven, the underworld and the homes of the various gods and goddess of Greek tales, are illustrated and detailed enough to make anyone what to live. The characters are self-conscious and very aware of their limitations as they were displayed in the myths or legends from which they originate.
This book is a great read for anyone. It opens up the mind of the reader while keeping the plot consistent. Those readers interested in Greek mythology, intermingling religious systems and in speculations about the afterlife, Heaven and spiritual beings will be very entertained by the book. There is really nothing to offend any reader except for the fact that it is made very clear there are more books in the series.
This reviewer would love to review even more books from Williams and cannot wait until she writes another.
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July 30, 2010
Third in a series, this fantasy novel is about Quant, a house cat who can cross between physical dimensions (and do a lot more than that).
Gaea (Mother Earth) has had it with mankind’s wanton destruction of her resources, including plants and animals. After being physically attacked by a man, and left in a ditch, Gaea is ready to wipe mankind off the map. Quant, now in the form of a humanoid seraph, takes Gaea to visit God, the Lord of All (the Big Boss). God allows Gaea to warn mankind, or otherwise kick him in the rear end, but if there is any vengeance or smiting to be done, He will do it (and no one else). The pair gather a few friends, including Briareos (with fifty heads and one hundred arms), Cerberus, the three-headed Hell Hound, Demeter, Zeus and Triton, to see if they can change mankind’s thinking.
Meantime, the brothers at a rural friary are entering the world of green living on the orders of their leader, Brother Polycarp. Their initial reaction is reluctant, at best, but they soon get into the spirit of starting a vegetable garden, baking with fruit from their own orchard, and occasionally walking instead of always taking the car. Quant uses them as an example to Gaea that some humans are trying to live the right way.
When those giant factory fishing vessels, with the nets that destroy the ocean floor, are at sea and about to deploy their nets, they are suddenly best by huge storms that come out of nowhere. They speed back to port to try again tomorrow. The same thing happens time after time; clear skies instantly turn stormy. The sonar systems on all submarines suddenly and permanently malfunction, for no apparent reason. Large parts of the world experience bizarre weather patterns, like dust storms and snow in summer, while those that are living in harmony with nature, like the friary, experience beautiful weather. Does mankind start to get the idea? Does he realize that using the resources of Earth in moderation is actually a good idea?
This is a really well-done novel with a strong, but not overdone, environmental message. The next time you litter or waste resources, just think, Gaea is watching.
Gaea (Mother Earth) has had it with mankind’s wanton destruction of her resources, including plants and animals. After being physically attacked by a man, and left in a ditch, Gaea is ready to wipe mankind off the map. Quant, now in the form of a humanoid seraph, takes Gaea to visit God, the Lord of All (the Big Boss). God allows Gaea to warn mankind, or otherwise kick him in the rear end, but if there is any vengeance or smiting to be done, He will do it (and no one else). The pair gather a few friends, including Briareos (with fifty heads and one hundred arms), Cerberus, the three-headed Hell Hound, Demeter, Zeus and Triton, to see if they can change mankind’s thinking.
Meantime, the brothers at a rural friary are entering the world of green living on the orders of their leader, Brother Polycarp. Their initial reaction is reluctant, at best, but they soon get into the spirit of starting a vegetable garden, baking with fruit from their own orchard, and occasionally walking instead of always taking the car. Quant uses them as an example to Gaea that some humans are trying to live the right way.
When those giant factory fishing vessels, with the nets that destroy the ocean floor, are at sea and about to deploy their nets, they are suddenly best by huge storms that come out of nowhere. They speed back to port to try again tomorrow. The same thing happens time after time; clear skies instantly turn stormy. The sonar systems on all submarines suddenly and permanently malfunction, for no apparent reason. Large parts of the world experience bizarre weather patterns, like dust storms and snow in summer, while those that are living in harmony with nature, like the friary, experience beautiful weather. Does mankind start to get the idea? Does he realize that using the resources of Earth in moderation is actually a good idea?
This is a really well-done novel with a strong, but not overdone, environmental message. The next time you litter or waste resources, just think, Gaea is watching.
August 13, 2010
I was very interested to see what this book had to offer. It is a fun, easy read with a very strong environmental theme ~ that doesn't beat you over the head. I like the detailed descriptions of some of the things that Man is doing to the planet for which there are other, less damaging options ~ if only we humans would take heed of them.
The characters were very personable and fun to follow along with. The Earth Goddess, Gaea (Mother Earth) is quite outspoken in her need to make humans sit up and take notice of what they're doing to HER. She is quite funny at times with her temper and sarcastic wit. My favorites were the poor Friars who were being teased mercilessly by Quant - a seraph who masqueraded as their pet cat Leo. The Friars are trying to become more green and are learning to care for a garden and be self-sufficient where possible. (While trying to explain the strange sightings of a disappearing/re-appearing cat..)
I applaud the explanations and interweaving tales of the gods and goddesses, the Titans, the Christians, and the Lord. The author plyed her words in such away that anyone can receive the important message of this book while still enjoying a truly lovely story. It is a very readable book that covers the issues of ecology, faith, spirituality, myths, and history all at once.
Gaea's discussions with legends such as Poseidon and Triton were humourous and informational. The friendship between her and the seraph Quant is very warm, especially since she knows the Lord has sent him to keep an eye on her. When she and Quant had a "meeting" with the Almighty Creator, he shows her his love for all of his creations, including the pesky humans and admonishes her that HE is the only one who owns and dispences vengeance.
This is the 3rd book in Ms. Williams' Quantam Cat series. I'm looking forward to reading the others: Jerome and the Seraph and Angelos (Quantum Cat) as soon as I can. I'm happy to have discovered this wonderful author.
I HIGHLY recommend this book to all. I do believe there is a message for everyone residing in its pages.
The characters were very personable and fun to follow along with. The Earth Goddess, Gaea (Mother Earth) is quite outspoken in her need to make humans sit up and take notice of what they're doing to HER. She is quite funny at times with her temper and sarcastic wit. My favorites were the poor Friars who were being teased mercilessly by Quant - a seraph who masqueraded as their pet cat Leo. The Friars are trying to become more green and are learning to care for a garden and be self-sufficient where possible. (While trying to explain the strange sightings of a disappearing/re-appearing cat..)
I applaud the explanations and interweaving tales of the gods and goddesses, the Titans, the Christians, and the Lord. The author plyed her words in such away that anyone can receive the important message of this book while still enjoying a truly lovely story. It is a very readable book that covers the issues of ecology, faith, spirituality, myths, and history all at once.
Gaea's discussions with legends such as Poseidon and Triton were humourous and informational. The friendship between her and the seraph Quant is very warm, especially since she knows the Lord has sent him to keep an eye on her. When she and Quant had a "meeting" with the Almighty Creator, he shows her his love for all of his creations, including the pesky humans and admonishes her that HE is the only one who owns and dispences vengeance.
This is the 3rd book in Ms. Williams' Quantam Cat series. I'm looking forward to reading the others: Jerome and the Seraph and Angelos (Quantum Cat) as soon as I can. I'm happy to have discovered this wonderful author.
I HIGHLY recommend this book to all. I do believe there is a message for everyone residing in its pages.
November 9, 2009
Worrying over the health and happiness of all the animals of earth, the goddess Gaea requests the Almighty Father, God of All, to allow her to teach mankind a lesson for mot taking care of her earth and all of the Lords creatures. By her side during this request is Quant, a seraph (an angel of the highest rank in the traditional Christian hierarchy) that likes to spend time on earth in the shape of a house cat. When God reminds Gaea that he is the only one that will hand out punishment and vengeance, Gaea takes the chance to offer a warning to mankind with the help of a family and friends. Always overseeing her actions is Quant with his optimism for the humans to learn, adapt and save the planet earth.
What a really strange mix. Religious God, Greek mythology, Leonardo Di Vinci, and dragons all have a place in this book. With such a wide variety of characters from so many different belief patterns, it is sometimes difficult to keep all the characters straight (between the gods, goddesses, saints, angels and even the humans) and to know what they all represent. While I enjoyed the concept of the design center with the formation of new creatures for a new planet, some of it felt unnecessary even though it was interesting and fun. There seemed to be an over abundance of characters that had little to do with the main story. They may have had more to do with the previous books of this series (the first book is called “Jerome and the Seraph” and the second books is called “Angelos”), but I haven’t read those stories. But what a unique story this one was. The need for everyone to be more conscious of our effect on the land has become more and more popular the last several years, this is another, slightly more interesting way to look at the need for all earthlings to go green.
What a really strange mix. Religious God, Greek mythology, Leonardo Di Vinci, and dragons all have a place in this book. With such a wide variety of characters from so many different belief patterns, it is sometimes difficult to keep all the characters straight (between the gods, goddesses, saints, angels and even the humans) and to know what they all represent. While I enjoyed the concept of the design center with the formation of new creatures for a new planet, some of it felt unnecessary even though it was interesting and fun. There seemed to be an over abundance of characters that had little to do with the main story. They may have had more to do with the previous books of this series (the first book is called “Jerome and the Seraph” and the second books is called “Angelos”), but I haven’t read those stories. But what a unique story this one was. The need for everyone to be more conscious of our effect on the land has become more and more popular the last several years, this is another, slightly more interesting way to look at the need for all earthlings to go green.
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November 9, 2009Gaea is angry. Again and again people have been given a chance to change their destructive, greedy ways. They just don’t seem to care what they are doing to the Earth, the animals around them, or even their own futures. Now they’ve been given one more chance. Will they waste it or will they make a difference?
Gaea is an ecological novel written from the perspective of the Earth and other mystical creatures. It’s interesting to see the author’s perspective on how heaven might include even of the mythological beings and how creation of different animals might occur. I found these aspects very intriguing.
Gaea is an ecological novel written from the perspective of the Earth and other mystical creatures. It’s interesting to see the author’s perspective on how heaven might include even of the mythological beings and how creation of different animals might occur. I found these aspects very intriguing.
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