Bright Messengers

It took a while but when I finally got into the book, it was truly captivating. Unlike others, I was not annoyed with Sister Bea. The story of her and Johann was a good one, tedious at parts. Does anyone else ever notice that religious folks of the future, particularly Catholics, seem to hearken back to the Middle Ages in dress, custom and manner.Toward the middle of the book they are taken in an alien craft and whisked to the stars. The action was riveting and not at all derivative of Rama. Too bad that the sequeal was the pits.

This is not at all bad for Gentry Lee's first solo work. If beauty can be defined by a novel, this is it; a very beautiful, very moving piece of art. Johann sticks to logic and reasoning and has only doubts about God. Beatrice is devoted to God and compassion and service to others. They are two very smart but very different characters who, despite their differences, develop strong respect for each other. Readers will learn with these two characters that science and religion can co-exist. This book is part one of two... when I finished I sat silently for several minutes just thinking about what I had just experienced. Finally I snapped out of the trance and vowed to get the sequel as soon as it comes out (March 1999!)

Though I miss seeing the Eagle in this one (smile) The mystery and suspense continue just when you thought Rama Revealed had explained everything! The Sequel is taking forever though!!!

Impressive! Excellent storyline that keeps the reader spellbound. The author carefully leads the reader into the story and allows the reader to become a participant and not just an observer. The reader is then able to easily identify with most if not all the main characters. The reader will experience all the emotions of Johann, the piousness and faith of Beatrice and the egocentrism of Yasim. I enjoy being caught in the midst of a story and Mr. Gentry performs well to involve the reader such that I found myself sharing, and questioning philosophies with the characters. I read "Rama Revealed" in 1995 which made Bright Messengers an easy choice when I found it in a bookstore. Enough said! Read the book. It's great! I am searching for the sequel, "Double Full Moon Night". Where is it??? I want it now!!!

Bright Messengers, while not having quite as believable characters as the Rama sequel trilogy, is a great book, and a must read. However, what most people ask is "Where the hell is 'Double Full Moon Night?'" Well, Gentry Lee got side-tracked with the Rama CD-ROM, and didn't quite finish it. He is once again at work on it, and is 70-90% finished. People have also asked, "What the hell does this have to do with the Rama series?" Okay, for those of you who didn't pay close attention, the baby born at the end is the same baby Nicole found at the end of the 2nd to last section of Rama Revealed. The creatures who constructed the ship, and the "zoo" on mars are the Octospiders, not the Ramans. The sequel will be about how the baby travels 120 years through time to Rama III. Presumably, then a 4th series of Rama books will detail what happens to Maria, Michael, Simone, Max, Eponine, Patrick, Nai, Benjy, Ellie, little Nicole, Marius, Kepler, and the eagle. I'm not sure what happens then, but I think it may have something to do with the "Prime Monitor", the super node at the center of the galaxy. E-mail me if you want to discuss this