Kensho

Way-Farer (also called Kensho) Series #2

by Dennis Schmidt

Two centuries have passed since the Wayfarer saved mankind from the madness. Nowan older insanity threatens the world that he created.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Fantasy

314 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1979

About the author

There is more than one author with this name

From Wikipedia: Dennis Arthur Schmidt was an American science fiction and fantasy author publishing from 1978 to 1990. Common threads in his books are religion, discipline and mystical enemies.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_S...

Reviews

[Michelle]

very obviously written by a philosopher. very obviously written by a white man. very enjoyable despite those facts

"mankind, for all its fallibility, was still an anti-entropic force in the universe"

[Brendan Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent meditation on what it means to live in the world, wrapped up in a fun sword-swinging quest through humanity rediscovering its dangerous capacity for political posturing.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful blend of martial arts, Zen, and science fiction. Part of the Way-Farer series.

[David Allenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A question elsewhere about "What are your top five Science Fiction novels?" prompted revisiting this.

The things I like in speculative fiction: taking presumptions and doing something completely logical but unexpected with them. A good adventure quest, deep philosophical basis, interesting characters, and twists that land.

A human colony on a world infested with invisible Intellivores evolves Buddhist nature. A man seeks a sword that hasn't been lost and finds what was already there.

[Jerome Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

A real eye opener. Written in 1979 and so applicable today. What happens when we cannot manage the mind? What are humans truly capable of? Is there a solution to everyday madness? Can we find ultimate peace and common ground in society? And what of the growing advancements of technology? So many questions and a divine dialogue between characters. Left me with a lingering hope for the future, and a sense that we have what we need to handle what comes.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the sequel Kensho, more than two centuries have passed, and a new threat has emerged. Human greed and the lust for power. The story weaves intricate schemes and political plotting with plenty of adventure and philosophy. I actually enjoyed this one even more than Way-Farer and found myself fully absorbed in everything happening on this world. Thought-provoking ideas, tense pursuits and well-written fights make it a worthy sequel.

[Coinaday · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable Space Western. Good character development, interesting world and background, and a solid plot. The only reason I gave it 4 rather than 5 stars is because I felt the plot is a bit predictable in some ways but I would definitely read more in the series (I didn't realize it was part of a series when I started and definitely stands on its own successfully too).

[colleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

read 04.13.84