📖 Overview
A mysterious man named Ngunda Aran emerges in contemporary times, displaying abilities and knowledge that defy explanation. He begins to gather followers and establish a movement called The Movement, which blends elements of major religions with new spiritual concepts.
Religious leaders and governments react with varying degrees of acceptance and hostility to Aran's rising influence. His activities draw intense scrutiny from intelligence agencies, religious institutions, and the media as his message spreads across continents.
The narrative follows multiple perspectives, including journalists, government agents, and disciples, as they attempt to understand Aran's true nature and intentions. Questions about faith, power, and the possibility of divine intervention in modern times drive the plot forward.
The book examines humanity's relationship with spirituality and organized religion in an age of global communication and skepticism. It raises questions about how modern society would respond to a figure who challenges established beliefs and power structures.
👀 Reviews
Limited reader reviews exist online for this 1991 science fiction novel, making it difficult to assess overall reception.
Several readers praised the book's take on spirituality and religion within a science fiction context. On Goodreads, one reader noted the "thought-provoking exploration of faith and human potential." A few highlighted the action sequences and pacing.
Common criticisms focused on the dialogue, which some found stilted, and character development. One Amazon reviewer felt the spiritual themes became "heavy-handed and preachy" in the latter half.
Available Ratings:
Goodreads: 3.5/5 (14 ratings, 2 reviews)
Amazon: 3.8/5 (6 ratings, 3 reviews)
The small number of online reviews and ratings makes it hard to draw broader conclusions about reader reception. Many ratings appear to be from when the book was first published, with few recent reader responses documented online.
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Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny Colonists on a distant planet use technology to transform themselves into Hindu gods and control the native population.
The Magic Goes Away by Larry Niven In a world where magic exists as a finite resource, practitioners must find solutions as their power source depletes.
Three Hearts and Three Lions by Poul Anderson A modern engineer finds himself in a parallel universe where magic and technology intersect during a war between Law and Chaos.
The Warlock in Spite of Himself by Christopher Stasheff A technological agent discovers a medieval planet where psychic powers manifest as magic and must prevent political manipulation of the population.
🤔 Interesting facts
🔹 The Second Coming is a spiritual science fiction novel that explores themes of reincarnation and enlightenment through the story of a messiah-like figure who arrives on Earth in a UFO.
🔹 Author John Dalmas (born John Robert Jones) served in World War II and worked as a research forester before becoming a science fiction writer in his fifties.
🔹 The book blends elements of Buddhism, Christianity, and other spiritual traditions while examining humanity's potential for both destruction and transcendence.
🔹 Published in 1991, this novel came during a period when New Age spirituality and UFO interest were reaching new heights in popular culture.
🔹 Dalmas wrote several other metaphysical science fiction works, including The Reality Matrix and The General's President, establishing himself as an author who regularly explored the intersection of spirituality and science fiction.