Letter to the Future: A Novel
Michael D. O'Brien
ISBN 9781621647874
eISBN 9781642293531
ASIN B0F46QBK3S
Wow! This story is amazing. I have had book by Michal O’Brien on my ‘to be read list’ for a long time. I have picked up a few over the years and just never for to reading any of that. That is going to change now. I have averaged about a book a day for several years now and this is one of the best novels I have read in a long, long time. It is so well told. I could hardly put it down, in fact I devoured it in a single day.
The description of this novel states:
“Best-selling novelist Michael O'Brien returns to the theme of people of faith striving to find their way through a societal collapse during the rise of new dimensions of totalitarianism.
Set in the near future, all of North America is plunged into crisis as basic communications and other services suddenly and inexplicably fail. As the tension mounts, a disparate group of people come together from several directions, apparently by coincidence. Many of them are strangers to each other, and some are very young--whom their parents and guardians call "our pied piper children."
Moved by grace and dreams, they leave behind all securities and endure numerous alarming trials as they follow the thread of inspiration, seeking refuge in the mountains of British Columbia. Their choice to proceed in blind faith will bring about unforeseen consequences that are fully revealed only in the distant future.”
The chapters do not have titles in this volume, but the book is broken into section. The sections are:
Part I: Sursum Corda
Part II: Letter to the Future
Part III: Legend
The story starts off well in the future. Three children shelter from a raving storm in the woods and under a rock overhang. They find something odd, and after the storm when they encounter their father looking for them they return to it. Their father recognizes it as cement, they work their way into the enclosure and discover a hidden treasure trove. The find a silver crucifix, a manuscript, a book of psalms, and some items they cannot identify. Their priest sets to translating and transcribing the volume they found. The main part of the story is that translation.
It is a story that could start any day now. Several people from various walks of life and even locations all feel called or led in a specific direction. As the government is gracing down, while en route the collapse of society appears to begin in earnest. The people come together with a general plan of heading to a remote location to wait out the upheavals. The main story is the courtship of the author of this work, and then the first few days of the travel and setting us their planned temporary home. The final section of the manuscript is an addendum added many years later about how they have got on and the events since the start.
This story has the world on the brink of an Apocalypse, with what our group believe is God’s judgement and the great chastisement. A totalitarian government is tightening its grip. And in the uncertainty chaos is unleased.
Because the majority of the work takes place over a few short days the pace is breakneck. It does an excellent job of looking at where society is and is likely heading. O’Brien has insight into the politics of the day and those implications for people of faith, especially Catholics. There is a great sense of religious devotion and practical piety, even is a number of the characters are learning it or growing in it after years away. There is a strong emphasis on the mystical and dream guiding and leading people.
The characters are masterfully written. And the plot well executed. It is an incredible story. It is Christian Literature at its best, and an excellent Catholic Fiction story. I can easily recommend this novel and look forward to reading others from the pen of O’Brien!
Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2025 Catholic Reading Plan!
Books by Michael D. O'Brien:
The Small Angel (1993)
A Landscape with Dragons (1998)
The Island of the World (2007)
The Father's Tale (2011)
Theophilos (2012)
Voyage to Alpha Centauri (2013)
Elijah in Jerusalem (2015)
The Fool of New York City (2016)
The Lighthouse (2020)
The Sabbatical (2021)
By the Rivers of Babylon (2022)
Letter to the Future (2025)
…
Children of the Last Days Series:
Father Elijah (1996)
Strangers and Sojourners (1997)
Eclipse of the Sun (1997)
Plague Journal (1999)
A Cry of Stone (2003)
Sophia House (2005)
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