One of Heinlein's best! Job travels thru time, space, and his personal prejudices.
This is the only Heinlein book I've read and I enjoyed it. Interesting and fun read!
Heinlein's retelling of the tribulations of Job is often funny and sometimes uneven, as a fundamentalist Christian in a 1994 that's not quite "ours" gets shuffled from one reality to another as a variety of powerful beings utilize him in their private games. Heinlein has some interesting things to say about the nature of divinity, and he does it through a good-natured and amiable schlumpf.
I was a bit confused for a while, but at the story's conclusion I was quite satisfied. I've enjoyed every Heinlein book I have ever read.
Great story!
I wish I'd read this when it first came out, but still a good book.
Synopsis
In this, one of author Heinlein's last novels, a preacher is accidentally transported to an alternate universe and into the affections of an attractive women. When they are separated by the boundaries of Heaven and Hell, he must make a decision about what is more important, his soul or his love.
Publisher's Note
After he firewalked in Polynesia, the world wasn't the same for Alexander Hergensheimer, now called Alec Graham. As natural accidents occurred without cease, Alex knew Armageddon and the Day of Judgement were near. Somehow he had to bring his beloved heathen, Margrethe, to a state of grace, and, while he was at it, save the rest of the world ..
In this, one of author Heinlein's last novels, a preacher is accidentally transported to an alternate universe and into the affections of an attractive women. When they are separated by the boundaries of Heaven and Hell, he must make a decision about what is more important, his soul or his love.
Publisher's Note
After he firewalked in Polynesia, the world wasn't the same for Alexander Hergensheimer, now called Alec Graham. As natural accidents occurred without cease, Alex knew Armageddon and the Day of Judgement were near. Somehow he had to bring his beloved heathen, Margrethe, to a state of grace, and, while he was at it, save the rest of the world ..
After that firewalking gig in Polynesia the whole world was suddenly changed around him. Instead of fundamentalist minister Alexander Hergensheimer, he was now supposed to be Alec Graham, an underworld figure in the middle of an affair with his stewardess Margrethe - who was the only good thing in the whole mess.
Then there was an impossible iceberg that wrecked the ship in the tropics. Rescued by a Royal Mexican plane they were next hit by a double earthquake. From then on, as changed world followed changed world, things went from bad to worse.
Somewhere there had to be a solution to it all.
And of course, there was.
But it was truly a Hell of as solution.
Then there was an impossible iceberg that wrecked the ship in the tropics. Rescued by a Royal Mexican plane they were next hit by a double earthquake. From then on, as changed world followed changed world, things went from bad to worse.
Somewhere there had to be a solution to it all.
And of course, there was.
But it was truly a Hell of as solution.
I can't say it better than this Amazon reviewer:
Read at one level, this novel is a updated biblical Book of Job. The main character is put through the wringer because of a wager made by his Creator. Read at another level, it is the story of transformation: religious bigot and all-around prig Alex Hergensheimer is transformed into a much better person, even if that may not have been anyone's intent. But at another, deeper level, Heinlein illustrates what is really important, what really matters, what really endures. Because Alex discovers, over the course of the story, what real love can be, and how real love is the most important thing in the universe. More important than the dubious Heaven he finds when, about to lose his wager, the Creator pulls the Last Trump and Alex ascends to sainthood and Heaven, without his true love. He abandons Heaven and harrows Hell to find her. Heinlein couldn't have put it much more plainly.
Read at one level, this novel is a updated biblical Book of Job. The main character is put through the wringer because of a wager made by his Creator. Read at another level, it is the story of transformation: religious bigot and all-around prig Alex Hergensheimer is transformed into a much better person, even if that may not have been anyone's intent. But at another, deeper level, Heinlein illustrates what is really important, what really matters, what really endures. Because Alex discovers, over the course of the story, what real love can be, and how real love is the most important thing in the universe. More important than the dubious Heaven he finds when, about to lose his wager, the Creator pulls the Last Trump and Alex ascends to sainthood and Heaven, without his true love. He abandons Heaven and harrows Hell to find her. Heinlein couldn't have put it much more plainly.
