The Wandering [Paperback]

Roger Elwood has always been one of my favorite authors. For a while, in the '90's, he consistently released several titles that garnered critical acclaim. Unfortunately, he's not as a prolific writer as he used to be. I first read The Wandering in 1990. It immediately became one of my favorites. Every once in a while, I'll read it again. I get something new out of it each time I read it.

The story takes place in the far future (or does it?). Neshi, an elite tech detective on a distant planet, is haunted by a ghoulish nightmare whenever he sleeps. Little does he know that the "nightmare" is actually prophetic. While working on a case involving a mad "hunchback" that has been killing people in his sector, Neshi uncovers a government plot that will effectively be the end of civilization on his planet unless he can do something to stop it. Neshi soon discovers that the government on his planet is controlled by a sinister group of "beings" called the Natasians. It is the Natasians' one goal to conquer humankind and devoid it of all hope. Neshi is soon chosen as the leader of an underground rebellion that attempts to overthrow the evil Natasians. However, the Natasians are not of "flesh and blood" and not be so easily defeated. They soon banish Neshi from his home planet to a lifetime of wandering aimlessly throughout the galaxy.

Try as he might, Neshi cannot find another planet that hasn't been somehow influenced by the Natasians' plans for total domination throughout the universe. Neshi finally settles on a world called Nede that seems to be the place that he has been looking for all along. Everything "seems" perfect on the planet. However, Neshi soon finds out that even in this "paradise," the Natasians have complete control. Once again, he sets out, with some new allies, to find a place where he can live in peace without having to succumb to the Natasians' control.

More than just a science-fiction story, The Wandering is a modern fable for our times that teaches how evil gains a stronghold within every asset of life in order to try and distinguish it. However, more importantly, it also teaches of the incredible grace and love of God that can permeate the darkness in any circumstance if we just allow Him to take control of our lives. This is a story of hope and of redemption for the human race.

It's a shame that this book went out-of-print so quickly after it was published. If promoted correctly, it could have had a valuable influence on the science-fiction community and within Christian literature. Even though it's out-of-print, you can still find used copies of it for sale from time to time. The last time I checked, Amazon.com had quite a few used copies available for purchase.

On a side-note, I once met the author, Roger Elwood, and he told me that this book was only half of the story. In fact, his book Dwellers was written in conjunction with The Wandering and they were supposed to be released as one. This is pretty fascinating since both stories, even though they contain some of the same "themes," are very different from each other. I would love to have read the original version of these stories to see how they fit together.

Some may look at the "10" and scoff. Go ahead, because they obviously haven't read the story. Being a long-time fan of Elwood(particularly The Christening and Angelwalk sagas), I was surprised at the lack of enthusiasm I felt eyeing the excessively dull cover to this novel. But I gave it a chance anyway. With no exageration, I can say this was the most beautiful, compelling story of man's quest for God, I have ever had the pleasure of reading. As with C.S. Lewis, Elwood came from a background denying the existance, then embracing the discovery, of God in his own life. The story walks the reader through the mind and life of a lone being on a foreign planet, along the way drawing parallels in our own cynical lives. THIS BOOK IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR THOSE WHO ARE SICK OF THE NIHILISTIC, BLEAK WORLDS AUTHORS SOMETIMES PRESENT TO READERS!!! Elwood instead gives us the only light at the end of life's journey that is even able to sustain us.

If your looking for Christian based science fiction then this is the book for you. This book is unique in it's dual outlook as both a chistian future & science fiction/futuristic basis.

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