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mxsallybend's review
4.0
I'll freely admit, had this come from any other author, I likely would have given it a pass. In fact, I told Donald I was probably the wrong reader for it, since I'm about as religious as an Ambulocetus fossil, but his response . . . well, let's just say it made me laugh hard enough to take the chance.
Knowing God is a clever, irreverent take on contemporary faith that puts moral and message ahead of mythology. Donald Allen Kirch skewers Christian, Catholic, Jewish, and Islamic religions with equal fervor, not so much questioning the concept of a high power, but the flawed storytelling of mortals - churchmen and politicians in particular - with an agenda.
He does this through a contemporary urban fantasy that is built around a paranormal romance between a suicidal security guard and . . . well . . . God, who has taken on the form of a human woman named Amanda.
This is an oddly balanced - deliberately so - story of contrasts and duality that manages to be both heavy and light-hearted at the same time. It tackles the little details of humanity so well, especially the Starman-like way in which Amanda encounters love, laughter, and food for the first time, but it also reaches high with imagination, chronicling a genocidal war between Lucifer and the demons of Hell versus the lonely angels of Heaven. Along the way, God reveals the lies of the Bible, the truth about Creation, the existence of aliens, and far more - all of it amusing, and much of it surprising.
I hate to venture into spoiler territory, so I will be careful what I say, but Nathan's friend and neighbor - a black, lesbian, whirlwind of a woman - really made the second half of the story for me. Even as the Biblical parallels and homages threatened to overwhelm the story for me, her role, and her interactions with a certain Archangel, kept me reading. Knowing God isn't violently blasphemous or cruelly offensive, but those who would be bothered by it most are probably those who need to read it.
Knowing God is a clever, irreverent take on contemporary faith that puts moral and message ahead of mythology. Donald Allen Kirch skewers Christian, Catholic, Jewish, and Islamic religions with equal fervor, not so much questioning the concept of a high power, but the flawed storytelling of mortals - churchmen and politicians in particular - with an agenda.
He does this through a contemporary urban fantasy that is built around a paranormal romance between a suicidal security guard and . . . well . . . God, who has taken on the form of a human woman named Amanda.
This is an oddly balanced - deliberately so - story of contrasts and duality that manages to be both heavy and light-hearted at the same time. It tackles the little details of humanity so well, especially the Starman-like way in which Amanda encounters love, laughter, and food for the first time, but it also reaches high with imagination, chronicling a genocidal war between Lucifer and the demons of Hell versus the lonely angels of Heaven. Along the way, God reveals the lies of the Bible, the truth about Creation, the existence of aliens, and far more - all of it amusing, and much of it surprising.
I hate to venture into spoiler territory, so I will be careful what I say, but Nathan's friend and neighbor - a black, lesbian, whirlwind of a woman - really made the second half of the story for me. Even as the Biblical parallels and homages threatened to overwhelm the story for me, her role, and her interactions with a certain Archangel, kept me reading. Knowing God isn't violently blasphemous or cruelly offensive, but those who would be bothered by it most are probably those who need to read it.
serpina's review
5.0
Not a Christian story but for fans of religious topics
I hope, the title makes sense. It's tagged with "religious" and I wasn't sure if this is Christian story or only a story that includes religious figures. So I wanted to point that out. This is more like the movie "Dogma" and I enjoyed it a lot. I'm a huge fan of stories that use biblical figures and place them in a modern or fantastic environment. This story surprised me positively since I was intrigued but not yet fully convinced by the teaser.
The characters are great and I love the new head of the Archangels.
Don't let the depressing beginning stop you from continuing. It's a fun read!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I hope, the title makes sense. It's tagged with "religious" and I wasn't sure if this is Christian story or only a story that includes religious figures. So I wanted to point that out. This is more like the movie "Dogma" and I enjoyed it a lot. I'm a huge fan of stories that use biblical figures and place them in a modern or fantastic environment. This story surprised me positively since I was intrigued but not yet fully convinced by the teaser.
The characters are great and I love the new head of the Archangels.
Don't let the depressing beginning stop you from continuing. It's a fun read!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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