[Hobbit]

This month's book, The Book of Joby by Mark J. Ferrari, is a recent publication, published August 2007.

From the Forge website (http://www.tor-forge.com/thebookofjoby): The Book of Joby is an epic fantasy complete in one volume.

Lucifer and the Creator have entered, yet again, into a wager they’ve made many times before, but this time, the existence of creation itself is balanced on the outcome. Born in California during the twilight years of a weary millennium, nine year old Joby Peterson dreams of blazing like a bonfire against the gathering darkness of his times, like a knight of the Round Table. Instead, he is subjected to a life of crippling self-doubt and relentless mediocrity inflicted by an enemy he did nothing to earn and cannot begin to comprehend.

Though imperiled themselves, the angels are forbidden to intervene. Left to struggle with their own loyalties and the question of obedience, they watch Lucifer work virtually unhindered to turn Joby’s heart of gold into ash and stone while God sits by, seemingly unconcerned.

And so when he is grown to manhood, Joby’s once luminous love of life seems altogether lost, and Lucifer’s victory assured. What hope remains lies hidden in the beauty, warmth, and innocence of a forgotten seaside village whose odd inhabitants seem to defy the modern world’s most inflexible assumptions, and in the hearts of Joby’s long lost youthful love and her emotionally wounded son. But the ravenous forces of destruction that follow Joby into this concealed paradise plan to use these same things to bring him and his world to ruin.

As the final struggle unfolds, one question occupies every mind in heaven and in hell. Which will prove stronger, love or rage?

Mark is an artist turned writer. For seventeen years, he has made his living doing freelance illustration for such clients as Lucasfilm and Lucas Arts Games, Industrial Light and Magic, Electronic Arts, Chaosium Games, Amaze Entertainment, Tor, Ace, New American Library, The Science Fiction Book Club, and many others. The Book of Joby is his first novel.

His website is HERE. (http://www.markferrari.com/index.php)

Start the discussion!

Mark / Hobbit

[Severn]

I'm over half way through and I'm in love...

more when I'm done, don't want it to end though...

K

[Power to the J]

Here is my response in the typical scattered thoughts style that I have. :D (teenie-tiny spoilers, btw)

I'm not sure what this would be officialy qualified as, but I consider this to be a character-driven novel. Maybe I read primarily plot novels or something, but to me, this is very character-driven. So, Ferrari had to create compelling, multi-demensional, lovable (or hateable) characters, and he did this flawlessly. We love Joby from the first time we meet him, which is very important, because without this we probably wouldn't care if he or Lucifer won. Speaking of Lucifer, he is another excellent creation. At first, I thought he was almost cool (sorry to anybody religious) but then when he killed one of his minions (page 30 or so) I loathed him from then on. Ben and Laura were also well done, as well as some of the antagonists that Joby has to deal with.

There also has to be plot, of course, and this book's is also interesting. It's the ultimate, original, and--in my opinion--good versus evil, so we pull for Joby and God to win the entire time, and Ferrari's writing does an excellent job of making sure that this happens. The story of Joby's childhood is done exceptionally well, and during the glory days of the round table I actually felt almost nastalgic. Odd, but also a testament to Ferarri's writing skill. I felt horrible for our hero as his journey continued, and I wished the best things for him, but new it was not meant to be. The anguish that Joby feels in this book brought more emotion out of me than when I first read Romeo and Juliet. Then, Joby's journey leads to him being homeless, which is another richly written portion that I simply loved. This was one of the more compelling parts of the book, if you ask me, especially the end when we meet a character that Joby has always wanted to meet (cryptic...;)). Then, Joby comes to a place that he has always wanted to return to since he was a young man and this is where the story lost a bit of flare, I think. The story was incredibly compelling and I can remember shredding through it late at night the first time I read it, until I came to that point and started slowing down a bit, and reading other works instead of letting Joby occupy most of my reading time. I can't really put my finger on it, but it just felt like something fell off a bit. It might just be because it was the thick of the book or something, but it just felt bad to me. The ending was extremely well-done, and I won't get into it for those of us that can't finish reading this book in a month (I read it during summer and it took me six weeks, so I know how it feels).

Besides the later portions of the book, I also thought some of the children's dialogue was something that brought down the overall quality of this novel. Kids would go from calling each other a-holes and f-ers (I hope this is clean enough) to butt heads and stinky-faces. It was too out of place, if you ask me.

Other than the two points I mentioned (although one of them was quite a large point), this book was nearly flawless, and very enjoyable to read. If only some of the middle of the book was changed. Then, this book would be right up there with The Hobbit as the greatest stand-alone of all time. Either way, very fun to read, and also thought-provoking, if I do say so. This is definately the best book I've read since becoming a member of this book club, and I'm thankful that it's been chosen.

[Eventine]

Minor spoilers throughout the post, major ones in spoiler tags.

I thought the novel was OK, but not great. I read it in a pretty short amount of time, but it didn't keep me up without sleep.
For the most part I thought Joby was a very likable, sympathetic character, and this is what made it effectively frustrating watching his actions throughout the story. I'm somewhat reminded of Hobb's Fitz, although not to the same extent of gloominess and heartbreak.
Having the characters as reincarnations of Arthur & co didn't work much for me - it felt a bit forced and I would've been happy with the story simply focussing on Joby as a pawn in the bet between God and Lucifer. I think the grail/Arthur story in a more modern setting has been handled better by other authors (Tim Powers, Alexander Irvine come to mind) in much slimmer volumes, and it didn't add much here - the only time the Arthur myth (as opposed to Grail) really had effect on plot is the short period
between when Ben meets the Grail and he dies
It just didn't quite fit with me that they were resurrections, yet had no knowledge of it and therefore no ability to change - if Joby isn't aware of who he is, why is the story not repeated?
BTW, I saw the Mordred sub plot coming a mile away :D

Then, Joby comes to a place that he has always wanted to return to since he was a young man and this is where the story lost a bit of flare, I think.
I agree, this is where it trailed off a bit for me. I liked the invasion of the town (especially the old do-gooder) and how the inhabitants reacted, but felt it was overdrawn and a not too subtle metaphor. I never really connected with most of the kids, and thus any dramatic tension around their fates just didn't exist.

More comments to come...

[Power to the J]

I'm somewhat reminded of Hobb's Fitz, although not to the same extent of gloominess and heartbreak. Yeah I agree with this, and Hobb's writing is absolutely better than this, so it's something of an unlucky comparison.


I never really connected with most of the kids, and thus any dramatic tension around their fates just didn't exist. That's what it was! I really could't find a way to pinpoint it, but that is the reason that I wasn't crazy about the second half or so of this book. The kids of Joby's childhood seemed much more realistic than the kids of Taubolt, and thus they were more likable.

[Eventine]

I think one of the issues with connecting with the Taubolt kids is that we're introduced to a large number of them in a very short amount of time (mainly that first meeting at the school) and it's hard to remember their names, let alone associate them with differing personalities/traits/behaviors.
As such, I spent a lot of time thinking "Which one was that again?"

[Power to the J]

I think one of the issues with connecting with the Taubolt kids is that we're introduced to a large number of them in a very short amount of time (mainly that first meeting at the school) and it's hard to remember their names, let alone associate them with differing personalities/traits/behaviors.
As such, I spent a lot of time thinking "Which one was that again?"

True. If I remember correctly (my memory is a bit fuzzy about this part for some reason) weren't there two brothers that had similar names and personalities? Hawk was the most thoroughly developed, and for that reason he's one of the only that I can actually name after reading the book.

Also, does anybody else think that Joby should've discovered what was really going on a bit sooner (actually, more like 100 pages or so)?

I'm 60% done with my second read of this book, and I've found that it's been considerably less enjoyable. When I read this book for the first time I put it as one of my favorite books of '07, but now I'm a bit disappointed.

[molybdenum]

True. If I remember correctly (my memory is a bit fuzzy about this part for some reason) weren't there two brothers that had similar names and personalities? Hawk was the most thoroughly developed, and for that reason he's one of the only that I can actually name after reading the book.

Also, does anybody else think that Joby should've discovered what was really going on a bit sooner (actually, more like 100 pages or so)?

I'm 60% done with my second read of this book, and I've found that it's been considerably less enjoyable. When I read this book for the first time I put it as one of my favorite books of '07, but now I'm a bit disappointed.

No, I don't think Joby should of discovered it earlier at all. Remember, Joby's lived in a world exactly like ours, and I wouldn't call anything magic something you should suspect before it is revealed to you. Put yourself in that situation, if all those weird things were happening, would you say magic and shrug it off

I'm actually finding the second read of this book much better than the first. I can't really explain why, except that I knew when all the best parts were going to happen and I psyched myself up appropriately.

[Power to the J]

No, I don't think Joby should of discovered it earlier at all. Remember, Joby's lived in a world exactly like ours, and I wouldn't call anything magic something you should suspect before it is revealed to you. Put yourself in that situation, if all those weird things were happening, would you say magic and shrug it off

I'm not saying it should've been revealed to him. I think that it's just based on my expectations of the novel; I thought that it would be Joby and God vs. Lucifer. It was that, but it took a very long time for that to happen. I think it just has to do with my incorrect thoughts of what this book was going to be about. I still think that if Joby had somehow found out or been told earlier the book might've been more enjoyable.

[Severn]

I finished a few days ago and now I'm not sure what I want to say about it. I was halfway through when I was madly in love with it, heh, but then it lost a little of it's savour. I was skipping in the end - I felt the second half dragged a bit. Also, I get very anxious about the characters I'm reading, and Joby - the poor man - I knew bad things were going to happen. So, I wanted to reach the bad things, but they took so long to get there!

Some of the Taubolt infiltrators annoyed the hell out of me - Agnes Hamilton, not a well developed character at all. Wasn't convinced by her at all, or the cop, or the forestry guy.

I don't know. I'm not sure about the end either - felt a bit convenient to tell the truth.

But I loved Joby, as a character. He pulled me in hook, line and sinker. Laura and Ben were great too. I agree that the Taubolt children took awhile to wrap your head around, and thus hard to develop attachments too. Didn't care much when they died, and found the scene when all and sundry were weeping at Hawk's house vaguely annoying.

So, mixed feelings about the last quarter or so. Think I might need to read it again one day, to sort out exactly what I think of it..

K