The Transmigration of Souls

William Barton, with The Transmigration of Souls, has created something rarely seen in the SciFi genre; a story that resonates within people who feel the existential pain of life deep in their gut and who long for worlds without number, far from the mundane existence and quiet desperation that haunts those whose souls and dreams are too big to be contained within our tepid Western society. It may take a few readings spread over a couple of years, but for those who glimpse a Universe so much greater than we know, and who yearn for adventure out among the worlds of infinite possibility, this story will become one that is never forgotten, and will always remain close at hand for those desperate times when hope begins to slip away and daydreams from better times fade into memory. In those hours, when you revisit this story and the light of wonder again brightens, you will begin to understand. - Peter, Tokyo, Japan, 2008

Saturday, February 25, 2006 "The Transmigration of Souls" by William Barton, ©1996 This is one story that goes all over the place! It begins with an Earth that is developed into something we really do not foresee: United Arab Republic with free Jewish people still living, China that rules over Asia, Sub-Saharian Africa is still in the doldrums and the United States has effectively withdrawn from the life of the world. The story develops into an adventure through many worlds by the transmission of the people by 'stargates'. The necessary technology is God given. The dangers are also God given: the infinite choices we make cause infinite universes to be created, causing the administrators to send in the Juggernaut to stop the chaos from enveloping the universe. This reminds me of another story that deals with the same delimna. It takes off from the old H. G. Wells story, "The Time Machine". The problem of multiple universes is beyond our comprehension, but gives some fodder to story writers. Another notion that was touched on within the story was whether or not Christians would opt for immotality or would wait for the second coming or Christ. How firm is your belief in the second coming? Sure it is a flight of fancy, but it brings up a question that most people would never think of or would consider, and it truly only applies to the actually religious folks.

Several years from now, a joint US and Russian team discover something on the moon, something that leads to greater advances in technology than anything ever before. However, shortly after the discovery, both groups pull out, hiding themselves in their respective countries, without a word of explanation. Decades later, other governments, seek to discover the secrets that could frighten the two greatest powers on the world. The Americans send a force to prevent this, and the two groups unfortunately find out that somethings are better left undisturbed. What follows is a Panuniversal traveling adventure, as they discover more about their universe than they, or anyone else, ever hoped to know. And gain a glimpse of What may be God, or the Devil. If you like Barton's stuff, I sincerly suggest you take a look at the works of Robert A Heinlein. He works with similar ideas, but does them in a lighter approach which should appeal to most people.

Barton's tales are a different read. Good, hard sci-fi but always with a central thread of sexual obsession. I liked this book and "Acts of Conscience" almost despite the prevalent thread. Subtitled Americans tour the multiverse in search of God or fleeing from him. Similar themes to Simmon's Hyperion series but a whole different view.

William Barton, author of what is beginning to be a significant corpus of literary science fiction, does it, again, here. I don't mean literary in the classic sence, though. Barton excells at referencing the sci-fi literature. He alludes to the great works of the genre for purpose. Too bad, I think, that many readers of the genre are not noticing it. This is a writer with great potential. In the present work, among his best, Americans have uncovered an alien technology hidden on the moon and have used it to makethemselves rather god-like. But these are gods afraid of the return of the REAL gods. At heart a quest work like Simmons "Endymion" or, even, "Gilgamesh," Barton's work glows with a knowledge of the genre and the will to pull the past into the present. One of the best (and least appreciated) writers around.