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Sephirot: Worlds Away
Duncan Kyle is an ordinary twenty-something whose simple life of sports, his job, and his girlfriend comes to a crashing end late one night when he falls through the floor of his apartment. He finds himself in Malkuth, a desolate, desiccated world where the only living beings are a sardonic Sphinx and her invisible caretakers, who in this frigid place are drawn to anything that is warm. He is told by the Sphinx that he will have to make his way through the ten worlds of the Sephirot before he will be able to get back home.
In each world he visits, he has to rely on his wits again and again not only to find his way to the next portal, but simply to stay alive. Along the way he meets a wild huntress who is torn between making love to Duncan and killing him; an elderly woman who tries to convince him that he has been ill and dreamed the whole thing; a scarlet-robed judge who sentences him to be whipped and then executed for performing evil magic; a kind potter and his daughter who take him in and heal him of his injuries; and a timid, soft-spoken Methodist minister who helps him to survive in a world where hell breaks loose, literally, once the sun goes down.
And in each one, he has to summon the strength to keep going—because if he falls for the snare each world represents, he'll never find his way home.
In each world he visits, he has to rely on his wits again and again not only to find his way to the next portal, but simply to stay alive. Along the way he meets a wild huntress who is torn between making love to Duncan and killing him; an elderly woman who tries to convince him that he has been ill and dreamed the whole thing; a scarlet-robed judge who sentences him to be whipped and then executed for performing evil magic; a kind potter and his daughter who take him in and heal him of his injuries; and a timid, soft-spoken Methodist minister who helps him to survive in a world where hell breaks loose, literally, once the sun goes down.
And in each one, he has to summon the strength to keep going—because if he falls for the snare each world represents, he'll never find his way home.
- GenresFantasy
416 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 25, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
February 17, 2022
Holy cow was this book fun!
Due to certain life events, I had to stop reading this book half way through and couldn't get back to it for a few months. At no point did I forget what the story was about or where I left off, and I looked forward to getting back into it. Instead, I started over from the beginning and enjoyed it just as much as I did the first time.
It says right on the cover, "Some things have to be lived... not told." Which is the epitome of this novel. So well summarized. Duncan has to live through the puzzle of the Sehpirot, and no answers will be given easily. Especially from the Sphinx. LOL! As someone in my late 40s, I feel that there is so much that I can extrapolate and apply from Duncan's adventures. Or, I recognized elements/characters/situations immediately, as some spoke directly to my own past experiences and emotions. (Because that's what well-written, creative world building cultivates.)
Duncan's journey takes him through several worlds, all of which are wildly creative, strikingly different from each other, and thought provoking at the same time. Some moments were intense, some absolutely brutal, and some might make you blush. Charming, fighting, fumbling, Duncan is a wonderful character to have followed throughout the story. The extremes he experiences and the range of people he meets, speak to where his young life currently and abruptly stopped, and forces him into an introspective spiral.
I always try to avoid giving away endings, but I will say this... I didn't expect it, and there was an all encompassing feeling of finality that at the same time, changes the way a life journey can be redefined. If I say more about the ending I'll ruin it, and I want you to enjoy it in the same the way it unfurled for me.
Gordon's style is easy to read, detailed in just the right moments, subtle and emotional, and at times, funny as hell. I keep a journal where I write favourite quotes, and I jotted down more than one from this book. To keep this review from giving away too much I'll share this one:
"Doubting everything is as lazy as believing everything." (Daiya to Duncan)
A must read, highly recommended.
Due to certain life events, I had to stop reading this book half way through and couldn't get back to it for a few months. At no point did I forget what the story was about or where I left off, and I looked forward to getting back into it. Instead, I started over from the beginning and enjoyed it just as much as I did the first time.
It says right on the cover, "Some things have to be lived... not told." Which is the epitome of this novel. So well summarized. Duncan has to live through the puzzle of the Sehpirot, and no answers will be given easily. Especially from the Sphinx. LOL! As someone in my late 40s, I feel that there is so much that I can extrapolate and apply from Duncan's adventures. Or, I recognized elements/characters/situations immediately, as some spoke directly to my own past experiences and emotions. (Because that's what well-written, creative world building cultivates.)
Duncan's journey takes him through several worlds, all of which are wildly creative, strikingly different from each other, and thought provoking at the same time. Some moments were intense, some absolutely brutal, and some might make you blush. Charming, fighting, fumbling, Duncan is a wonderful character to have followed throughout the story. The extremes he experiences and the range of people he meets, speak to where his young life currently and abruptly stopped, and forces him into an introspective spiral.
I always try to avoid giving away endings, but I will say this... I didn't expect it, and there was an all encompassing feeling of finality that at the same time, changes the way a life journey can be redefined. If I say more about the ending I'll ruin it, and I want you to enjoy it in the same the way it unfurled for me.
Gordon's style is easy to read, detailed in just the right moments, subtle and emotional, and at times, funny as hell. I keep a journal where I write favourite quotes, and I jotted down more than one from this book. To keep this review from giving away too much I'll share this one:
"Doubting everything is as lazy as believing everything." (Daiya to Duncan)
A must read, highly recommended.
May 7, 2017
Gordon Bonnet's Sephirot took me back to a childhood favorite: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Bear with me before you scoff and stop reading. Both stories are tales of fantastic worlds, potential dangers, and characters who remind the hero of people at home. Both also indirectly explore the importance of home... each hero wants nothing more than to return there throughout the course of the story, and neither can until a particular lesson is learned.
That's where the similarities end, though.
Dorothy's tale is a childhood fantasy with a feel-good ending that appeals to children and adults (at least, this adult) alike. Duncan's story in Sephirot is darker, and the ending message, while strangely liberating, doesn't uplift the reader in the same way. Duncan is now a better man, and he has infinite opportunities ahead of him, but any choice he makes means giving up something else. It kind of made me sad even as I was excited for him.
This is a story that explores philosophical concepts and personal growth, and it's easily read in one sitting. I read it in just one evening, but I won't forget it for a long time.
That's where the similarities end, though.
Dorothy's tale is a childhood fantasy with a feel-good ending that appeals to children and adults (at least, this adult) alike. Duncan's story in Sephirot is darker, and the ending message, while strangely liberating, doesn't uplift the reader in the same way. Duncan is now a better man, and he has infinite opportunities ahead of him, but any choice he makes means giving up something else. It kind of made me sad even as I was excited for him.
This is a story that explores philosophical concepts and personal growth, and it's easily read in one sitting. I read it in just one evening, but I won't forget it for a long time.
January 28, 2023
As usual, Gordon hits it out of the park, though maybe more so with this one. Sephirot is an intricate book in some ways, but don't let that deter you from the experience. Because that's exactly what it is: an experience.
From the moment Duncan enters the first world of the Sephirot to the unexpected but highly satisfying ending, you will be pulled along on this adventure almost against your will.
But you won't regret reading it. It has to be my favorite of his, and that's saying a lot.
From the moment Duncan enters the first world of the Sephirot to the unexpected but highly satisfying ending, you will be pulled along on this adventure almost against your will.
But you won't regret reading it. It has to be my favorite of his, and that's saying a lot.
November 14, 2023
I truly believe that the author could've put more into the storyline, main character, and conclusion. There's just seems to be a lot missing and not enough so much of everything in between to give the story full strength between certain scenarios, chapters, and even portals. It's hard to describe, because it's not a badly written story and I even see where the author was trying to go with it. To me it just kept me frustrated too much.
January 29, 2023
Couldn't stop reading this one.
Is this reality? Magic? Philosophy? Does it matter? Whatever you decide this book is, I guarantee you will never forget it. Duncan Kyle is the perfect everyman, and the things he learns on his journey should be learned by all people. But everything else aside, it just an amazing story.
Read it now. You'll never be sorry you did.
Is this reality? Magic? Philosophy? Does it matter? Whatever you decide this book is, I guarantee you will never forget it. Duncan Kyle is the perfect everyman, and the things he learns on his journey should be learned by all people. But everything else aside, it just an amazing story.
Read it now. You'll never be sorry you did.
March 14, 2023
By chapter 8, I would have given this book 3 stars, no more. But I was impatient, sorta like the main character. By the end of chapter 9, the book was an easy 5 stars, and by the end, 6. If you like instant rewards, chapter by chapter, this is not the book for you. If you want to walk behind someone as they take a journey, then fall through the floor and enjoy.
March 31, 2023
A journey for sure.
This was the kind of tale I needed in my existence right now strangely. A real stranger in a strange land kind of journey for me. Thank you kindly for this tale spun for
me and many others to come.
This was the kind of tale I needed in my existence right now strangely. A real stranger in a strange land kind of journey for me. Thank you kindly for this tale spun for
me and many others to come.
December 28, 2022
Loved it… my favorite of his. Very evocative journey through worlds and existence.
January 7, 2024
Basically a fancy ‘who moved my cheese’
Very weird to read a novel based on Sefirot with no references to Judaism, Jews, or Kabbalah.
Very weird to read a novel based on Sefirot with no references to Judaism, Jews, or Kabbalah.
November 28, 2024
Would have really given this a 4.9 as I guess I wanted a different ending. But what a fantastic read and an enjoyable, different story.
June 23, 2016
Our main character is Duncan Kyle, a man of indeterminate age or origin who one night falls through the floor of his apartment and finds himself in a dark and mysterious world, one of many within the Sephirot that he must journey through and return home. This is a standard Voyage and Return type plot; Our hero wanders aimlessly in a strange land, having adventures and drawing wisdom and revelation through his experiences before returning home. In Kabbalah the Sephirot is ten different emanations/revelations of God. Each contains a different characteristic emotion or virtue, and through attaining enlightenment of any one of these levels one brings their self closer to the divine knowledge of God. In Bonnet's book the Sephirot are represented by different fantasy realms that must be physically journeyed through; and with the Sephirot being a creation of the hero's own mind, it is thus a journey to attain an enlightened knowledge of his self. Unfortunately, Bonnet fails to give as much thought to characterisation or setting as he does to concept or structure; ironically, crafting a journey that is, instead of being enlightening, one that feels hollow.
For the rest of this review, and more reviews and author interviews, visit my blog here http://tinyurl.com/hnatn5o or follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/Nebula_Books.
For the rest of this review, and more reviews and author interviews, visit my blog here http://tinyurl.com/hnatn5o or follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/Nebula_Books.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews