Michel fabers latest and quite possibly his last novel is truly a strange story or at least premise, when taken at face value. The book of strange new things brings up so many questions and i kept asking myself how i would deal with being on a planet light years away, far from home and family. The book of strange new things is michel fabers second masterpiece, every bit as luminescent and memorable as the crimson petal and the white. The book of strange new things is a literary novel with elements of science fiction. The new republic a wonderful adventure story, a quasiscience fiction tale and a probing examination of a marriage. The book of strange new things, a book by michel faber book. The book of strange new things treads familiar territory michel fabers bestseller, the crimson petal and the white, captured the feel of victorian london. Please read michel fabers the book of strange new things. Defiantly unclassifiable, the book of strange new things is, among other things, a rebuke to the credo of literary seriousness for which. Were considering expanding this synopsis into a fulllength study guide to deepen your comprehension of the book and why its important. If he spends the novel lagging behind the edge of the present, bea spends it trying to stay.
Plot summary chapters characters symbols and symbolism settings themes and motifs styles. I remember devouring his previous novel, the crimson petal and the white. Joe armstrong, hayley atwell and dougray scott star in this story of a devoted husband and man of faith called to the mission of a lifetime. It begins with peter, a devoted man of faith, as he is called to the mission of a lifetime, one. Nov 25, 2014 strikingly, the book of strange new things isnt a story of first contact. Thinks about trying to do that with a church back home, discussing it with bea. Faber reminds us there is a literature of enchantment, which invites the reader to participate in the notreal in order to wake from a dream of reality to the ineffability.
The book of strange new things hardcover books inc. Michel faber writes like a practiced musical soloist, striving to produce the exact effect demanded by the score no more, no less irrespective of genre, scale or mood. Community living is ultimately the major focus of the book of strange new things. The book of strange new things will blow you away io9. The story opens with pastor peter leigh driving to the airport with his wife, beatrice leigh. My ambivalence when first reading the book of strange new things sprang partly from this sense of dilution and partly from the authors nearmechanical narration.
What you had was still a romantic story at its heart it certainly wouldnt appeal to hardcore fans of sffantasy but the novel element gave it a totally new birth. It was historical fiction about a prostitute, a bestseller, mildly trashy but with good writing and a fabulous heroine. Michel fabers book of strange new things the new york. It begins with peter, a devoted man of faith, as he is called to the m. The book of strange new things squeezes its genre ingredients to yield a meditation on suffering, love and the origins of religious faiththe reader is drawn through the book effortlessly, by the combination of incidental strangeness and the suspenseful handling of plotdefiantly unclassifiable, the book of strange new things is, among. Here you will meet peter a naif, almost jesuslike figure whos been transported trillions of miles from his beloved wife to the planet oasis, to teach them the word of the new testament or the book of strange new things. Apr 17, 2018 the book of strange new things falls into the second category. In the strange order of things, theories on consciousness are blended with themes from his early work, which helped provide evidence for a neural substrate of emotion nature, 1994. But then ram that into a story of timetravel, and you have something shimmeringly new and exciting.
After a lifetime of drug addiction and a series of very bad choices, peter leigh finally pulls himself together. Reading guide for the book of strange new things by michel faber. This momentous novel, fabers first since the crimson petal and the white, sees him at his expectationdefying best. A monumental, genredefying novel that david mitchell calls michel fabers second masterpiece, the book of strange new things is a masterwork from. Bbc radio 4 the book of strange new things, by michel faber. Its about a christian missionary on an alien planet. The book of strange new things is a meditation on the. The book of strange new things by michel faber goodreads. Their married life will serve as one of the centers of thematic gravity in the book. Fivehundred page books arent easy to read straight through, but michel fabers the book of strange new things is a brilliant exception. Peter leigh is a christian missionary recruited by an organization known as usic to be the pastor on a distant planet called oasis. How does the evolution of their relationship help drive the action of the book. Aug 21, 2015 peter becomes immersed in the mysteries of an astonishing new environment, overseen by an enigmatic corporation known only as usic. The book of strange new things by michel faber overdrive.
Peter and beas marriage is at the heart of the book of strange new things. Their images and atmospheres are instantly striking. Reading guide for the book of strange new things by michel. Defiantly unclassifiable, the book of strange new things is, among other things, a rebuke to the credo of literary seriousness for which there is no higher art than a norwegian man taking. Aug 06, 2015 the book of strange new things is a wildly original tale of adventure, faith and the ties that might hold two people together when they are worlds apart. His work introduces him to a seemingly friendly native population struggling with a dangerous illness and hungry for peters teachingshis bible is their book of strange new things. Oct 26, 2014 the book of strange new things is a slowburning novel in paredback prose. The book of strange new things is immersive, lightly surrealist and carefully plotted. It is a portrait of a living, breathing relationship, frayed by distance. Outline your novel fast with a simple story template. Faber has written seven other books and has won several shortstory awards, including the neil gunn, ian st james and macallan. The community surrounding peter, both the humans and the aliens are examined with a very fine comb, with amazing intellect and writing. The book of strange new things is a slowburning novel in paredback prose. The book of strange new things thats what she read.
The book of strange new things squeezes its genre ingredients to yield a meditation on suffering, love and the origins of religious faith. The book of strange new things michel faber bibliobeth. Deadline reports amazon has ordered the strange new things tv show pilot, based on the book of strange new things, by dutch writer michel faber the scifi drama pilot comes from from writer matt. Called to a mission of a lifetime, peter travels lightyears from his wife, bea, to an astonishing new environment. It features wellrealised characters and delicately carved sentences. A monumental, genredefying novel that david mitchell calls michel fabers second masterpiece, the book of strange new things is a masterwork from a writer in full command of his many talents. The book of strange new things chapters 2324 summary.
In fabers larger novels the power of such images is, i think, diluted by dialogue and plotting. Similarly, the ingredients of the book of strange new things dont. The book of strange new things treads familiar territory. On his brief trips back to the base camp where the. Like his research, the scope of his new book is massive as it zooms between eukaryotic cells and highlevel consciousness. I must admit that its also not a bad example and will certainly not do the reputation of science fiction any harm. The tragedy is that while we know that, peter doesnt. The book of strange new things summary supersummary. A monumental, genredefying novel over ten years in the making, michel fabers the book of strange new things is a masterwork from a writer in full command of his many talents.
Peters new colleagues have been trading drugs and food with the aliens for years. The book of strange new things, chapter summaries prenez. Yea, though i walk through the valley of the shadow of an extremely dubious plot. Oct 29, 2014 as the new york times reported on october 26th, fabers wife, eva, was dying of cancer as he wrote his latest novel, the book of strange new things. Heading into holiday season, the living book club is sinking our collective teeth into the 512page drama the book of strange new things hogarth. Peter becomes immersed in the mysteries of an astonishing new environment, overseen by an enigmatic corporation known only as usic. To ask other readers questions about the book of strange new things. Know jesus, know this novelno jesus, no this novel.
The book of strange new things quotes by michel faber. I picked up the galley of michel fabers the book of strange new things with low expectations, because it was just one of those random books that arrive on my doorstep every day and aliens and interstellar travel arent usually my thing, and found one of the best books ive ever read. Suffice to say that theres more to this than you may think as you start reading. The book of strange new things is a wildly original tale of adventure, faith and the ties that might hold two people together when they are worlds apart. Fabers sincerity keeps the book of strange new things honest, and his talent steers him away from cliche. Michel fabers book of strange new things the new york times. A monumental, genredefying novel that david mitchell calls michel faber s second masterpiece, the book of strange new things is a masterwork from a writer in full command of his many talents. The book of strange new things ebook by michel faber. One can understand fabers passion for this book, which he says will be his final novel. In this story, michel faber has transplanted a naive, if wellintentioned, christian minister named peter from some generic english presbytery to the faroff planet of oasis. Peter has been tapped by usic to become an interstellar missionary.
You take your eyes off something thats always been there, and the next minute its just a memory. Buy the book of strange new things main by michel faber isbn. A monumental, genredefying novel over 10 years in the making, michel fabers the book of strange new things is a masterwork from a writer in full command of his many talents. The following is from michel fabers the book of strange new things.
Its all strange and new and in my opinion, wonderful. Dec 19, 2014 michel fabers latest and quite possibly his last novel is truly a strange story or at least premise, when taken at face value. As the new york times reported on october 26th, fabers wife, eva, was dying of cancer as he wrote his latest novel, the book of strange new things. The book of strange new things, a book by michel faber.
Hes to preach to a seemingly friendly native population struggling with a. Oct 30, 2014 the book of strange new things treads familiar territory michel fabers bestseller, the crimson petal and the white, captured the feel of victorian london. He leaves behind his wife to work with both the usic employees stationed on oasis and the planets natives. The book of strange new things by michel faber kirkus. Born in holland, brought up in australia, he lives in the scottish highlands. Michael fabers new novel the book of strange new things pulls a neat trick. Nov 12, 2014 the book of strange new things opensat some unspecified nearfuture datewith the separation and incipient estrangement between husband and wife peter and beatrice leigh. Faber proves himself to be, as he was in under the skin, a warm surrealist.
In michel fabers novel, a pastor heads off to take up a new ministry on another planet. The scifi event series is based on michel fabers 2014 book, the book of strange new things. The story opens with pastor peter leigh driving to the airport with his wife. It begins with peter, a devoted man of faith, as he is called to the mission of a lifetime, one that takes him galaxies aw. The book of strange new things is most of a masterpiece, but i was, if im honest, disappointed by bits of it. Nov 02, 2014 defiantly unclassifiable, the book of strange new things is, among other things, a rebuke to the credo of literary seriousness for which there is no higher art than a norwegian man taking. The book of strange new things, is itself quiet strange. Had no idea what to expect or which way the plot was going to turn i. A monumental, genredefying novel over 10 years in the making, michel fabers the book of strange new things is a masterwork from a writer in full command of his many talents it begins with peter, a devoted man of faith, as he is called to the mission of a lifetime, one that takes him galaxies away from his wife, bea. Oct 06, 2014 michel fabers new novel, due to be released on october 28, is itself a book of strange new things. Strikingly, the book of strange new things isnt a story of first contact. In the book of strange new things, his ruddy, swellscrubbed sentences roll self.
The book of strange new things opensat some unspecified nearfuture datewith the separation and incipient estrangement between husband and wife peter and beatrice leigh. The book of strange new things by michel faber hogarth, hardcover, 9780553418842, october 2014, 512pp. The book of strange new things, by michael faber, study guide is written using the kindle version. This study guide consists of approximately 62 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of the book of strange new things. A married christian preacher man is launched into space the jump intended for the distant planet of oasis, in order to pacify and proselytise the local alien populace, in what we. It begins with peter, a devoted man of faith, as he is called to the mission of a lifetime, one that takes him galaxies away from his wife, bea. Its one of those genre books that have managed to convince the mainstream that its more mainstream literature. Apr 07, 2015 the book of strange new things by michel faber hogarth, hardcover, 9780553418842, october 2014, 512pp. This summary of the book of strange new things includes a complete plot overview spoilers included. The book of strange new things is a 2014 science fiction novel by dutchborn author michel. Jun 30, 2015 michel fabers latest novel is about the search for comfort in the face of lifes tragedies. The work was first published in the united states on october 28, 2014 and concerns an english pastor who is sent to the planet of oasis to teach its reclusive native inhabitants about christianity. Jun 08, 2016 deadline reports amazon has ordered the strange new things tv show pilot, based on the book of strange new things, by dutch writer michel faber the scifi drama pilot comes from from writer matt.
633 1605 942 935 961 1570 1461 914 464 758 699 735 606 413 1023 1662 1481 1421 1581 1112 1059 20 1195 109 1479 1331 1332 151 136 1225 1021 958 1677 1087 437 875 307 771 1258 1086 1292 277 1010