What do you think?
Rate this book
Paths to Divinity
An archaeologist gone mad describes the unearthed secrets that drove him to insanity. The tables turn on a 'tender-hearted' serial killer who truly loves his victims. A mortally wounded German soldier contemplates the futility of war and love lost in the company of a tennis-obsessed Grim Reaper. A slain Spartan king is awakened by The Furies and finds his vengeance. A little girl stumbles upon a mythical garden and finds within herself the world's salvation. Paths to Divinity offers tales grotesque and wonderful from the mind of author Joseph DiCristofano. Open this tome, and savor a journey filled with horror, magic, fear, and hope. Escape the trappings of normalcy and embrace your imagination....
- GenresMystery
154 pages, Paperback
First published April 17, 2010
31 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 18, 2012
Paths to Divinity is not a helter-skelter collection of short stories (rather popular these days), but rather a reviving of a hibernating medium. Some stories require such diverse voice and point of view as to strain against the classic story arc of the novel. Yet they are still stories deserving to be told and which we yearn to hear.
Thus enters Paths to Divinity, a story of nothing less than the veil between worlds. With each of the shorts in this collection Dicristofano toys with a different human perception of ultimate reality. With startling vividness Dicristofano delves into one world view after another, leading the reader down disturbingly provocative and terrifying bunny trails only to yank her from the threshold at the moment of transition and toss her back into the darkness yet again.
Fresh and cunning, Paths to Divinity leaves nary a stone unturned. A few of my favorites involved a tennis playing Grim Reaper, an evolving relationship between the Angel Uriel and the original serpent, and a terrifying twist of the demonic.
Amidst a sea of vampires and perky, pre-teen-on-angel romance, Paths to Divinity offers a hardy meal of venison and mead for the mind. Each course of the feast provides a new complexity of flavor begging the reader to either thrill or shiver under the implications. What does this life hold? What of the next? What of the in-between? And how will I respond when the moment finds me?
Horrible and beautiful at the same time, Paths to Divinity's means and methods matches its contents perfectly. My only contention with the work is that more than once it kept me up at night.
Thus enters Paths to Divinity, a story of nothing less than the veil between worlds. With each of the shorts in this collection Dicristofano toys with a different human perception of ultimate reality. With startling vividness Dicristofano delves into one world view after another, leading the reader down disturbingly provocative and terrifying bunny trails only to yank her from the threshold at the moment of transition and toss her back into the darkness yet again.
Fresh and cunning, Paths to Divinity leaves nary a stone unturned. A few of my favorites involved a tennis playing Grim Reaper, an evolving relationship between the Angel Uriel and the original serpent, and a terrifying twist of the demonic.
Amidst a sea of vampires and perky, pre-teen-on-angel romance, Paths to Divinity offers a hardy meal of venison and mead for the mind. Each course of the feast provides a new complexity of flavor begging the reader to either thrill or shiver under the implications. What does this life hold? What of the next? What of the in-between? And how will I respond when the moment finds me?
Horrible and beautiful at the same time, Paths to Divinity's means and methods matches its contents perfectly. My only contention with the work is that more than once it kept me up at night.
September 21, 2017
(This review may contain spoilers).
Short story collections tend to garner a mixture of different emotions when I read them. I did like that there was a variety of different genres, even if all of the stories seemed to have a recurring theme of death throughout.
The very first story might have actually put me off reading the collection in its entirety, if I hadn't picked up this book as part of a challenge. I did find the style of the first story to be quite a unique one, as it made use of the second person POV, as if the main character was addressing the reader. However, most of the first story seemed to gloss over a lot of the character development and although there were hints that something horrible had happened, I didn't really get to know even the narrator well enough to truly care about what the story led up to.
The second story was actually very disturbing to read, but it crossed very quickly from a glimpse into a serial killer's mind to a supernatural, almost black comedy situation. And, again, there wasn't any emotional connection for me, the reader.
The emotional connection, for me, really hit when it came to the story about the twins. I felt a lot of sympathy for the two of them and I could completely understand why things came to a head and such a drastic action ended up being taken.
The story about the soldier was one I found easy to engage with as well. I liked his interactions with Death and even though the subject matter was a really dark one, there were some nice moments of humour that did well to lower some of the tension.
Probably my favourite story in the collection was the one about the garden. In comparison to the rest of the stories, that one seemed to be more developed and although there were long periods of time glossed over, there were some very sweet moments in it.
Also, of course, I enjoyed reading the Spartan king who was brought back for vengeance by the Furies. While it was just a revenge storyline, it still kept me interested.
I don't think I'd read this book again, but I wouldn't mind reading more books by this author in the future.
Short story collections tend to garner a mixture of different emotions when I read them. I did like that there was a variety of different genres, even if all of the stories seemed to have a recurring theme of death throughout.
The very first story might have actually put me off reading the collection in its entirety, if I hadn't picked up this book as part of a challenge. I did find the style of the first story to be quite a unique one, as it made use of the second person POV, as if the main character was addressing the reader. However, most of the first story seemed to gloss over a lot of the character development and although there were hints that something horrible had happened, I didn't really get to know even the narrator well enough to truly care about what the story led up to.
The second story was actually very disturbing to read, but it crossed very quickly from a glimpse into a serial killer's mind to a supernatural, almost black comedy situation. And, again, there wasn't any emotional connection for me, the reader.
The emotional connection, for me, really hit when it came to the story about the twins. I felt a lot of sympathy for the two of them and I could completely understand why things came to a head and such a drastic action ended up being taken.
The story about the soldier was one I found easy to engage with as well. I liked his interactions with Death and even though the subject matter was a really dark one, there were some nice moments of humour that did well to lower some of the tension.
Probably my favourite story in the collection was the one about the garden. In comparison to the rest of the stories, that one seemed to be more developed and although there were long periods of time glossed over, there were some very sweet moments in it.
Also, of course, I enjoyed reading the Spartan king who was brought back for vengeance by the Furies. While it was just a revenge storyline, it still kept me interested.
I don't think I'd read this book again, but I wouldn't mind reading more books by this author in the future.
April 30, 2018
This is a second read. It was several years ago I was first introduced to this book and its author. I returned to this one as it is one of my favorites. I simply love the way this book is written. It has a dark narrative a lot like the works of Poe. Paths to Divinity certainly is a dark read with points of defined horror. The short stories are scripted artfully and with great detail. This book is horrific but impossible to stop reading.
August 18, 2010
The biggest compliment I can give Joseph DiCristofano's first collection of short stories is the sheer number of ways in which it explores the concept of its title. There is a solid theme throughout the entire book, but every story feels different -- each has its own unique take on divinity, whether it be good or bad, epic or minute.
DiCristofano tells his stories in beautiful language that almost seems intended for being read aloud. The only snags are when he spends a little too much time laying groundwork and the action comes to a halt for longer than I would have liked.
These are small flaws, however, in a compelling collection of short stories labeled "vol. 1" because, I hope, there is more to come.
"Hydromancy 101" - Ironically, the first story in the collection works the least for me. I admit that the dramatic finale stayed with me, and there is haunting imagery here. The problem for me is DiCristofano is giving us a unique, convincing narrator, and then allowing him to ramble for the opening five pages without allowing anything to happen. The counter-argument, of course, is that the narrative necessitates the character be long-winded, but I see that as taking too much time to establish a character trait that is already evident by the end of page two.
"Feels Like Home" - A simple story about a serial killer with a strange sense of love. I found that the killer was not so much what engaged me as the creepy fate that awaited him at the end.
"The Passing of Eric Webber" - Starts off as a compelling tragedy about a dying german soldier, but things really get interesting when the grim reaper shows up wearing tennis shoes. This is where we get to see DiCristofano's unique sense of spiritual tranquility, and where his imagination really takes off.
"Divine Vengeance" - This story is very well-written and would serve as a nice bookend to fans of 300 who want to read something that explores Leonidas's psyche more extensively than Frank Miller's comic or Zack Snyder's film. As for myself, Sparta isn't really my cup of tea, but there's a dialogue between "The Furies" and Hera that can only be described as badass.
"Duality" - Probably my favorite of the bunch. Imagine Edgar Allen Poe and William S. Burroughs (on a little less heroin) as an act in a carnival freak show. Even if you see the end coming, the ride is entertaining as hell.
"Thy Kingdom Found" - The longest story and the most epic. At times I felt this story came the closest to the "traditional" American idea of divinity, but then I read farther, and DiCristofano flipped the story of Eden on its head in a way you can only understand if you read it to the end.
"The Genesis of Incarnates: The Path to Divinity" - This felt less like a narrative and more like a summary - a conclusion that ties up the collection. I don't know if this story can be absorbed before reading the other stories, so save this one for last.
In conclusion, there's a lot to like here, and a lot of ways to like it. When you're done reading DiCristofano's first published collection of short stories, ask yourself how you would define "divinity." You might be surprised at how your answer has changed.
DiCristofano tells his stories in beautiful language that almost seems intended for being read aloud. The only snags are when he spends a little too much time laying groundwork and the action comes to a halt for longer than I would have liked.
These are small flaws, however, in a compelling collection of short stories labeled "vol. 1" because, I hope, there is more to come.
"Hydromancy 101" - Ironically, the first story in the collection works the least for me. I admit that the dramatic finale stayed with me, and there is haunting imagery here. The problem for me is DiCristofano is giving us a unique, convincing narrator, and then allowing him to ramble for the opening five pages without allowing anything to happen. The counter-argument, of course, is that the narrative necessitates the character be long-winded, but I see that as taking too much time to establish a character trait that is already evident by the end of page two.
"Feels Like Home" - A simple story about a serial killer with a strange sense of love. I found that the killer was not so much what engaged me as the creepy fate that awaited him at the end.
"The Passing of Eric Webber" - Starts off as a compelling tragedy about a dying german soldier, but things really get interesting when the grim reaper shows up wearing tennis shoes. This is where we get to see DiCristofano's unique sense of spiritual tranquility, and where his imagination really takes off.
"Divine Vengeance" - This story is very well-written and would serve as a nice bookend to fans of 300 who want to read something that explores Leonidas's psyche more extensively than Frank Miller's comic or Zack Snyder's film. As for myself, Sparta isn't really my cup of tea, but there's a dialogue between "The Furies" and Hera that can only be described as badass.
"Duality" - Probably my favorite of the bunch. Imagine Edgar Allen Poe and William S. Burroughs (on a little less heroin) as an act in a carnival freak show. Even if you see the end coming, the ride is entertaining as hell.
"Thy Kingdom Found" - The longest story and the most epic. At times I felt this story came the closest to the "traditional" American idea of divinity, but then I read farther, and DiCristofano flipped the story of Eden on its head in a way you can only understand if you read it to the end.
"The Genesis of Incarnates: The Path to Divinity" - This felt less like a narrative and more like a summary - a conclusion that ties up the collection. I don't know if this story can be absorbed before reading the other stories, so save this one for last.
In conclusion, there's a lot to like here, and a lot of ways to like it. When you're done reading DiCristofano's first published collection of short stories, ask yourself how you would define "divinity." You might be surprised at how your answer has changed.
August 13, 2016
Through his Paths to Divinity, Joseph DiCristofano takes us on an exceptionally well written and rather unique quest, exploring different angles of the existential questions that seem to perpetually plague our Psyche. On these paths, the reader meets an array of memorable characters, human and mystical, fiendish and pure, powerful and feeble. DiCristofano is truly a master of imagery, his brilliant descriptions make a solid imprint on the reader's mind. "So strange an effect a windowless room has on one's mind. Time dissipates into autonomic detection, a mental clock that attunes itself to the decay of matter" - Hydromancy 101.
Such skillful language made it easy for me to overlook some of the weaker points, such as the dialogues throughout the book that I found at times simplistic and rushed. My favorite story in this collection, "Divine Vengeance" for example, would have been perfect if the pace of the dialogue between the hero and Kind Leonidus matched the rest of the story. The Furies from this tale, however, were exquisite and will stay with me forever.
In "Thy Kingdom Found", the infectiously amiable character of Brianna draws you in and regardless of your personal sentiment on the subject matter, you can't help but to follow her, as you would follow a child who grabbed you by the hand to show you something magical they've discovered. Yet I wish less answers to one of the supreme questions regarding the divine were provided by the author. Our imagination might have been able to better shape Brianna's experiences into something that satisfies our individual views of the "divine", had there been more subtlety.
The imaginative characters and flawless imagery definitely make this author stand out and I actually find myself looking forward to his future stories. If this book was his first, I think the fans of horror/fantasy could be in for quite a treat when DiCristofano's heroes and demons strike again.
Such skillful language made it easy for me to overlook some of the weaker points, such as the dialogues throughout the book that I found at times simplistic and rushed. My favorite story in this collection, "Divine Vengeance" for example, would have been perfect if the pace of the dialogue between the hero and Kind Leonidus matched the rest of the story. The Furies from this tale, however, were exquisite and will stay with me forever.
In "Thy Kingdom Found", the infectiously amiable character of Brianna draws you in and regardless of your personal sentiment on the subject matter, you can't help but to follow her, as you would follow a child who grabbed you by the hand to show you something magical they've discovered. Yet I wish less answers to one of the supreme questions regarding the divine were provided by the author. Our imagination might have been able to better shape Brianna's experiences into something that satisfies our individual views of the "divine", had there been more subtlety.
The imaginative characters and flawless imagery definitely make this author stand out and I actually find myself looking forward to his future stories. If this book was his first, I think the fans of horror/fantasy could be in for quite a treat when DiCristofano's heroes and demons strike again.
September 5, 2012
This is the sort of compilation of short stories that makes you wish you had written them yourself. Imaginative, clever, twisted, dark and yet magnificent. A couple of the stories in particular are absolutely spellbinding and however dark, twisted and horrific some of the entries are (and damn good I might add, leave your light on...) the one that really spoke to me, held me and made me miss my bus stop was the story at the end about the little girl and her lifelong journey. It was wonderfully told and the characters were truly excellent, snaky in particular made me grin, but the ending absolutely soared. Magnificently done.
A grand collection of short stories, horrific, dark, uplifting and delightful in turn. Well worth a read and a good addition to any library whether virtual or otherwise. Thoroughly readable.
A grand collection of short stories, horrific, dark, uplifting and delightful in turn. Well worth a read and a good addition to any library whether virtual or otherwise. Thoroughly readable.
July 19, 2012
A great first published work that showcases this author's multiple talents. The descriptions draw the reader into DiCristofano's imagination, which is a multifaceted world of horror, humor, and magic. In short, this is a good read that will grace the reader with the knowledge that there are still authors who care enough to dazzle people with old school writing skills.
January 28, 2013
I really enjoyed this collection of short stories. I loved the different voice he used in every story. I was genuinely sad when I was finished. One story actually moved me to tears. I am definitely interesting to see what this author does in the future.
June 9, 2015
I didn't even get past the insane, self loathing, ramblings that were going nowhere, yet promising a big picture, soon, soon....
July 20, 2013
I wrote this book. I know I can do much better, and I will.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews