Children of God

After reading just two of Ms. Russell's books, I'm a confirmed fan, and hope she writes many more. This book is a direct sequel to The Sparrow, and while there is some explanatory material about the events in The Sparrow in this book, I'm afraid someone who hasn't read the earlier book will feel a little lost, and will definitely not be able to appreciate the full power of this book. Once more I found myself irresistibly drawn to Ms. Russell's full-bodied characters. Emilio Sandoz, the Jesuit priest who has been through a myriad number of events that would test anyone's faith, in this book begins to find a way to believe that life is still worth living, that he can still be of benefit to the people around him. Sophia Mendez, the quiet, withdrawn, abused, and highly intellectual lady finds a reason to return to the faith of her parents when she finds herself marooned on Rakhat, surrounded by enslaved Runa. New characters of Giardano Bruno and his bodyguard Nico prove that Russell can portray many kinds of people in a very believable manner. Perhaps the reason these characters are so fascinating is that each of them has their own outlook on life, their own problems, their own ways of coping with life's vagaries. When placed within the Runa/ Jana'Ata society, each person's attempts to influence that society becomes magnified, each action leading to consequences both foreseen and totally unexpected. Which brings to the fore the focus of this book, which is much more about cross-cultural relations and impacts than religion, though the original questions of The Sparrow are not slighted here. Within the events that humans arrival on Rakhat have provoked, there is a deep delving into the ethics of the 'the end justifies the means', played on a canvas where a species survival is the end stake. There are some areas where I was not quite as pleased. The characterization of the aliens was just a little too human, even though such characterization does much to highlight the fact that the ethical problems of this book apply just as equally here on Earth. In some ways, the cultural parallels between the Jana'Ata and the American Indians were just a little too obvious. And once again, the story is not told in a totally linear fashion, with occasional flash-forwards to various later periods that then fill in the back-story of the history of the world after the main events of the book. While this type of structure worked very well in The Sparrow, here I thought it led to a little disjointedness to the story continuity and too much a lessening of suspense. Once again, there are some aspects of the portrayed science here that do not ring true. These are all minor quibbles, not seriously hurting the engrossing wholeness, the feeling of not only that this is how it could be, but the why of seemingly random and sometimes-cruel events.There are very few works that approach these two books in terms of thematic depth and both intellectual and emotional reader involvement

I know that many people consider _Children of God_ to be inferior to _Sparrow_, and certainly _Sparrow_ has a certain existential sincerity that few other sf novels posess. But on the whole I find the sequel even better than its predecessor. In particular, Russell's depiction of the alien society of the Jana'ata is much richer and more interesting than that found in _Sparrow_. In the first novel, the Jana'ata were monsters; here they come across as real people (albeit with a tail and claws) who have built a beautiful though profoundly sick civilization. The Jana'ata characters are arguably even better drawn than the humans--at least by the end of the novel the characters with whom I most identified were Jana'ata. And the dilemma of how to deal with a civilization guilty of great atrocities (without committing even greater atrocities in one's zeal for vengeance) is presented here more powerfully than anywhere else I know. Some readers criticize the means by which Sandoz gets back to Rakhat. Yet in a way this underlines the profound moral ambiguity of the novels. The Pope and the General of the Jesuit order are presented as thoroughly good (even, in the case of the Pope, holy) people. Yet they violate Sandoz's free will in a high-handed, almost brutal way. And this violation is itself portrayed as the divinely ordained means by which Sandoz's wounds, and those of the planet Rakhat, may be healed. I understand those readers who find this contrived and unconvincing. Myself, I think it rings true with reality. By the end of the novel one cannot but think of Frodo's lament at the end of Lord of the Rings (I paraphrase); "I have saved the Shire, Sam, but not for me. Some must give things up, lose them, so that others may keep them."The religious revelation with which the novel ends may likewise be unconvincing to some readers. But Russell has built the possibility of such a reaction into the story itself. My own reaction was to sob almost uncontrollably with heart-broken joy, not only the first time I read the ending but the second and (if memory serves) the third as well. But then, I respond to that sort of thing.

As intriguing as the first novel, The Sparrow, Children of God kept me reading, but reluctantly. Why? Because I knew once I was finished, I'd have nothing comparable to read. Mary Doria Russell (a Catholic who converted to Judaism) is an excellent writer who is skilled at creating characters that seem real. Her books raise questions that open the mind and encourage conversation. They are wonderful to read alone, but would be great to read and discuss with fellow readers. The story switches between Naples and Rakhat, and spreads between 2060 and 2096 Earth-Relative years. Three different locations are followed - Earth, Rukhat and the ship, Giardano Bruno. In addition, we follow the lives of Emilio Sandoz, Sophia Mendes (originally thought dead), and members of a Jana'Ata family, Hlavana Kiteri and his descendants. Despite the many viewpoints, and the time-changes, this is an enjoyable, thought-provoking read.Was Jesuit priest Emilio Sandoz' original mission to Rakhat a success or a failure? Did God let him down? Is there more to be done before his work is finished? Sandoz is no longer longer judged by the Church's interrogators as a prostitute turned baby-killer. Still healing from the horrors of his experience and doubtful of his relationship with God, he is ready to move on, to make major changes in his life - including giving up his priesthood and marrying. While Emilio is back on Earth, major changes are being made on Rukhat because of the Jesuit sponsored mission that started in the first book. The Runa have slowly begun questioning their sociological position. For centuries they were passive, accustomed to providing the Jana'Ata with everything from childcare to protein. The Jana'Ata have never questioned the morality of their treatment of the Runa. The arrival of the humans, the lives and relationships that are born, the introduction of new world views causes life as the Runa and Jana'Ata knew it to be questioned and changed forever. You could read this book without having read The Sparrow, but I wouldn't recommend it. Start with The Sparrow - if you love it, come back for more. You won't be disappointed.

It's almost not fair to think of The Sparrow and Children as two seperate novels, since their plots tie in so closely and could just as easily be combined into one coherent book. That being said, Children is everything The Sparrow(Also a 5 star book in my opinion) was, and a little more in some places!There is much more background on Rakhati history and culture given here, which certainly helped me make sense of a few lingering questions I had from The Sparrow(which I'll be reading again in a month or two, of course!) Many questions left open about the characters of The Sparrow(particularly Emilio Sandoz) are also answered, which leads to a better understanding of the storyline of both books, although Children won't be nearly as an enjoyable or understandable to someone who hasn't read The Sparrow. I highly recommend this novel to anyone who read The Sparrow and enjoyed it, and I recommend the Sparrow followed by Children of God to anyone looking for an engrossing novel on spirituality, religion, and what it all means.