“For fiction to be called literature, the story should stay with readers and keep them thinking about it long after the book has been put away. It is safe to say that Sawyer has accomplished both with Calculating God.” — Rocky Mountain News
A spaceship lands outside the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto. An alien being emerges and says, in perfect English, “Take me to a paleontologist.” Hollus is traveling from star to star on a quest to scientifically prove that God exists. Tom Jericho, the human scientist with whom he ends up working, is convinced there is no God. Their debates, and their growing friendship, drive the narrative in this fast-paced, morally and intellectually challenging story of ambitious scope and touching humanity. Calculating God is SF on a grand scale.
“Sawyer has created a very interesting figure in Tom Jericho, whose scientific mind is the battleground of ideas in the novel. A fine read; an intellectual thriller with real bite.” — Edmonton Journal
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
The book starts out like the setup for some punny science fiction joke: An alien walks into a museum and asks if he can see a paleontologist. But the arachnid ET hasn't come aboard a rowboat with the Pope and Stephen Hawking (although His Holiness does request an audience later). Landing at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, the spacefarer (named Hollus) asks to compare notes on mass extinctions with resident dino-scientist Thomas Jericho. A shocked Jericho finds that not only does life exist on other planets, but that every civilization in the galaxy has experienced extinction events at precisely the same time. Armed with that disconcerting information (and a little help from a grand unifying theory), the alien informs Jericho, almost dismissively, that "the primary goal of modern science is to discover why God has behaved as he has and to determine his methods."
Inventive, fast-paced, and alternately funny and touching, Calculating God sneaks in a well-researched survey of evolution science, exobiology, and philosophy amidst the banter between Hollus and Jericho. But the book also proves to be very moving and character-driven SF, as Jericho--in the face of Hollus's convincing arguments--grapples with his own bitter reasons for not believing in God. --Paul Hughes
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
Shipping:
US$ 8.56
From France to U.S.A.
Book Description Softcover. Condition: Bon. Légères traces d'usure sur la couverture. Ammareal reverse jusqu'à 15% du prix net de ce livre à des organisations caritatives. ENGLISH DESCRIPTION Book Condition: Used, Good. Slight signs of wear on the cover. Ammareal gives back up to 15% of this book's net price to charity organizations. Seller Inventory # C-982-686
Book Description Befriedigend/Good: Durchschnittlich erhaltenes Buch bzw. Schutzumschlag mit Gebrauchsspuren, aber vollständigen Seiten. / Describes the average WORN book or dust jacket that has all the pages present. Seller Inventory # M02290325600-G
Book Description Condition: Très bon. Merci, votre achat aide à financer des programmes de lutte contre l'illettrisme. Seller Inventory # 8450202107162PED12290325600
Book Description Condition: Bon. Merci, votre achat aide à financer des programmes de lutte contre l'illettrisme. Seller Inventory # 2357202310123APL19782290325
Book Description Condition: fine. Ancien support de bibliothèque.Photo non contractuelle. Envoi rapide et soigné. Seller Inventory # 9782290325605_8344_H124
Book Description Condition: very good. Photo non contractuelle. Envoi rapide et soigné. Seller Inventory # 9782290325605_7332_E22