New Sci-fi Book Alert: The Book of Strange New Things by Michel Faber
I was left amused by this question on Goodreads. It goes like this: “I found some horrible typographical marks in the eBook, symbols where letters should be. Has the publisher been informed?” Here’s the thing, this is not a mistake. Recently published sci-fi book The Book of Strange New Things tells the story of Peter, a Christian minister who gets selected to be part of a coterie that “takes him galaxies away” from his wife, Bea.
The Bible, is the book of strange things to the aliens. As Peter becomes more involved with his mission, he begins receiving letters from his wife about Mother earth. The governments are falling apart and natural disasters are blowing countries to pieces.
While Peter is reconciling the needs of his congregation with the desires of his strange employer, Bea is struggling for survival. Their trials lay bare a profound meditation on faith, love tested beyond endurance, and our responsibility to those closest to us. Marked by the same bravura storytelling and precise language that made The Crimson Petal and the White such an international success, The Book of Strange New Things is extraordinary, mesmerizing, and replete with emotional complexity and genuine pathos. — The Book of Strange New Things
It sure looks like this is another exceptional novel from Faber. He also wrote The Crimson Petal and the White, The Fire Gospel and Under the Skin. The Book of Strange New Things is a story about faith, survival and love. It is a story meant to be savored. You can find out more about it here.