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The Fires of Shalsha
Reminiscent of Ursula LeGuin, this book takes the reader on an adventure not only to a distant planet and the challenges its people face but to different ways of understanding the nature of consciousness and the potentials within humanity. Compelling characters are caught in a conflict between two ways of life and thought, mirroring conflicts we face in the our world today.
- GenresFiction
252 pages, Perfect Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
20 people want to read
About the author
John Michael Greer
212 books515 followersJohn Michael Greer is an author of over thirty books and the blogger behind The Archdruid Report. He served as Grand Archdruid of the Ancient Order of Druids in America. His work addresses a range of subjects, including climate change, peak oil, the future of industrial society, and the occult. He also writes science fiction and fantasy. He lives in Rhode Island with his wife.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 30, 2011
Knowing Geer by his reputation within the expansive Pagan community and his excellent books on Druidry, I had high hopes for this book. In the end, I was extremely disappointed. The story line jumps radically from spot to spot throughout the "mini-chapters" that are marked within each titled chapter or section. I've read this particular style before, especially within the works of LeGuin. Used sparingly, it becomes an excellent plot mover. Here, Geer uses it extensively, making the entire story feel very dis-jointed.
In the beginning of the book, Geer uses the plot mechanism of dropping the reader directly into the story - and parceling out small details a few at a time, building the suspense of the entire storyline. The reader is provided the primary perspective of Stefan, with slight looks through the eyes of two other seemingly minor characters who are hinted at having major roles within the story. Added to that mix is a "stranger" who has seemingly lost his mind through a traumatic experience. All of this works quite well, building towards a story line that promises some mystery, some character angst, and a potentially rolling plot line. Then, Geer shifts the story from the perspective of Stefan to that of the mystery character and one of the previously minor characters. Stefan completely disappears from the story and becomes an even more minor character than the previous ones. In fact, the additional plot sub-texts during the battle scenes, where Stefan seems to be suddenly awakened within the plot -- well, these left me feeling a little cheated out of realizing where Stefan had come and how he had gotten to this point.
Also, during the battle scenario, other characters are introduced and given prominent positions within the scenarios. I'm left with the feeling of "who the fuck are these people?" -- with no explanation of how they fit into the story-plot, and just where they started in on the strand of the story.
Lastly, the ending to the battle scenario felt as if it were a puzzle piece that was forced to fit in its location. Whether the sectional aspects were carved with a knife or snipped with a pair of scissors doesn't matter -- its clearly cut up to fit precisely where it is put. The judgment of the mystery character, now fully awakened to his original state as a member of the Directorate, is likewise far too clean. He goes through two periods of transition, trying to resolve the differences between the two different world views he holds. The first time, he admits during the judgment, took place over a two-hour helicopter ride - where he struggles with both perspectives and then makes a choice of rational proportions that doesn't seem to be easily made in 120 minutes, much less 120 days. The second period of struggle, the character willingly undertakes shortly after the end of the battle - alone in the caves during the dead of a strong Winter. Just a bit too handy -- plus, this period of transition would have made for an excellent addition to the storyline as well.
In the end, I found the story to be far too disjointed to be completely enjoyable. I found a lot of promise in the story's overall premise -- but almost is if only small sections of the overall story were not there. In short, I felt like I was reading a rough, first draft of a much more expansive and compelling novel - instead of a finished, published story.
In the beginning of the book, Geer uses the plot mechanism of dropping the reader directly into the story - and parceling out small details a few at a time, building the suspense of the entire storyline. The reader is provided the primary perspective of Stefan, with slight looks through the eyes of two other seemingly minor characters who are hinted at having major roles within the story. Added to that mix is a "stranger" who has seemingly lost his mind through a traumatic experience. All of this works quite well, building towards a story line that promises some mystery, some character angst, and a potentially rolling plot line. Then, Geer shifts the story from the perspective of Stefan to that of the mystery character and one of the previously minor characters. Stefan completely disappears from the story and becomes an even more minor character than the previous ones. In fact, the additional plot sub-texts during the battle scenes, where Stefan seems to be suddenly awakened within the plot -- well, these left me feeling a little cheated out of realizing where Stefan had come and how he had gotten to this point.
Also, during the battle scenario, other characters are introduced and given prominent positions within the scenarios. I'm left with the feeling of "who the fuck are these people?" -- with no explanation of how they fit into the story-plot, and just where they started in on the strand of the story.
Lastly, the ending to the battle scenario felt as if it were a puzzle piece that was forced to fit in its location. Whether the sectional aspects were carved with a knife or snipped with a pair of scissors doesn't matter -- its clearly cut up to fit precisely where it is put. The judgment of the mystery character, now fully awakened to his original state as a member of the Directorate, is likewise far too clean. He goes through two periods of transition, trying to resolve the differences between the two different world views he holds. The first time, he admits during the judgment, took place over a two-hour helicopter ride - where he struggles with both perspectives and then makes a choice of rational proportions that doesn't seem to be easily made in 120 minutes, much less 120 days. The second period of struggle, the character willingly undertakes shortly after the end of the battle - alone in the caves during the dead of a strong Winter. Just a bit too handy -- plus, this period of transition would have made for an excellent addition to the storyline as well.
In the end, I found the story to be far too disjointed to be completely enjoyable. I found a lot of promise in the story's overall premise -- but almost is if only small sections of the overall story were not there. In short, I felt like I was reading a rough, first draft of a much more expansive and compelling novel - instead of a finished, published story.
April 24, 2013
I enjoyed this. I'll make that clear before I get into the nitty-gritty of my thoughts on this piece. In all honesty, I wanted to give it the full five stars, too, but I felt it was missing something. I'll get to that in a moment.
First, I want to talk about the good. This is a book that proposes a future of a planet much like Earth that's unlike any science fiction I have read. It's a world built after the fall of a society much like our current civilization, one that's more in tune with Nature and consciousness. That's what makes this book a page turner. It presents a very interesting picture, and it explores the potential of what consciousness can do once it is honed and interwoven in society as something of a norm to focus on (if that makes sense).
John Michael Greer's prose, as well, is top-notch. He has an eloquent manner of speaking, one that gently flutters off the page in a very conversational tone. It's the kind of prose you'd hear from a well-read buddy as the two of you are spending a warm Summer night staring at the stars, watching a meteor shower.
What's holding this book back though? Characters. The characters and their motivations just aren't interesting enough. There's something too coldly "logical" about them that wrings of lacking emotion. There doesn't feel to be a sense of inner turmoil in any of these people. A great threat looms on the horizon that threatens their very way of life, and all we can get is a mild sense of worry out of these people. "Danger? Hmph. We better study this. Amery, go find an encyclopedia. I better read a passage on what we're dealing with, then go calmly contemplate."
If it wasn't for my interest in this future Greer was positing, I would have put this book down and moved on to something else. These characters are just too bland. They're more like pieces of scenery or objects to move the theme along.
That said, I'd recommend this book for someone deeply interested in consciousness exploration and scifi. If you're looking for something enthralling on a human level, this wouldn't be the book.
First, I want to talk about the good. This is a book that proposes a future of a planet much like Earth that's unlike any science fiction I have read. It's a world built after the fall of a society much like our current civilization, one that's more in tune with Nature and consciousness. That's what makes this book a page turner. It presents a very interesting picture, and it explores the potential of what consciousness can do once it is honed and interwoven in society as something of a norm to focus on (if that makes sense).
John Michael Greer's prose, as well, is top-notch. He has an eloquent manner of speaking, one that gently flutters off the page in a very conversational tone. It's the kind of prose you'd hear from a well-read buddy as the two of you are spending a warm Summer night staring at the stars, watching a meteor shower.
What's holding this book back though? Characters. The characters and their motivations just aren't interesting enough. There's something too coldly "logical" about them that wrings of lacking emotion. There doesn't feel to be a sense of inner turmoil in any of these people. A great threat looms on the horizon that threatens their very way of life, and all we can get is a mild sense of worry out of these people. "Danger? Hmph. We better study this. Amery, go find an encyclopedia. I better read a passage on what we're dealing with, then go calmly contemplate."
If it wasn't for my interest in this future Greer was positing, I would have put this book down and moved on to something else. These characters are just too bland. They're more like pieces of scenery or objects to move the theme along.
That said, I'd recommend this book for someone deeply interested in consciousness exploration and scifi. If you're looking for something enthralling on a human level, this wouldn't be the book.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews