Children of God

A Novel

By: Mary Doria Russell

Narrated by: Anna Fields

In Children of God, Mary Doria Russell further establishes herself as one of the most innovative, entertaining and philosophically provocative novelists writing today.

The only member of the original mission to the planet Rakhat to return to Earth, Father Emilio Sandoz has barely begun to recover from his ordeal when the So-ciety of Jesus calls upon him for help in preparing for another mission to Alpha Centauri. Despite his objections and fear, he cannot escape his past or the future.

Old friends, new discoveries and difficult questions await Emilio as he struggles for inner peace and understanding in a moral universe whose boundaries now extend beyond the solar system and whose future lies with children born in a faraway place.

Strikingly original, richly plotted, replete with memorable characters and filled with humanity and humor, Children of God is an unforgettable and uplifting novel that is a potent successor to The Sparrow and a startlingly imaginative adventure for newcomers to Mary Doria Russell’s special literary magic.©1999 Mary Doria Russell; (P)2008 Random House Audio

Worth it

I was a bit off put by some of the last chapters of the first book and hesitated on the second. However, the desire for answers lead me to a purchase. I am glad I did. The story comes full circle; humanness, virtue, conceptual God and reality are well presented. The narrator changes also; which makes the presentation more even. Enjoy the conclusion.

Wonderful sequel

Any additional comments?

This story is wonderful. Its in the top 5 Sci-fi favs. For me these two books are doing so much more than filling pages and time with words. I don't even know if i consider them entertaining. I made friends and wonder fills me when I think on them.

Stunning performance

Anna Fields brought this novel to life flawlessly. the characters themselves were rich and complex. a wonderful follow up to the Sparrow.

Annoying

Not totally the narrator’s fault but there is some moaning and random, cut off sentences that make it annoying to listen to. Also some of the things are pronounced differently between the first and second book.

Excellent Sequel - Completes the Story -Adds Depth

If you read the first one, read this one!

About Audio and Narration: I wish they had used the same narrator for both books. For a book featuring Alien languages, having consistancy in pronunciation in both books would be ideal. it doesn't ruin the book at all, just a minor detail that takes a couple chapters to get used to. Narrator is great but takes some getting used to. Some of her voices and her Spanish accent aren't the greatest. I preferred the way the first narrator did the voice of the main character and the old man character Vince Guiliani over the way Anna Fields performed the same roles. Like I said, not a dealbreaker, but it is a little jarring when you go right from one book to the next.

Notes on the Story: an excellent wrapping up of an epic tale and story arch that is merely hinted at in the first book. The Sparrow is an excellent stand alone sci-fi masterpiece. It doesn't need a sequel. However, after completing this second book, it almost feels like this book needed to be written. This book proves the necessity of its existence in how wonderfully it is written and how well it works to explore ideas and themes merely hinted at in the first book.

Minor Complaints: the whole "romantic" part of the story on Earth as Emilio is recovering from the mental and emotional trauma feels like a strange direction to take the story. It works, but I remember thinking, "what is the point of all of this?" Also, when the 2nd mission to R'Kat finally leaves Earth, I found myself especially wondering why a handful of chapters even bothered with that romantic story line. Once the 2nd mission is underway, I REALLY started to ask, "what was the point of all of that!?"

Last Thought: both of these books are beautiful and amazing. I will be reading more by this author for sure. If you enjoyed the first book, this sequel will add to the wonder of the narrative and will likely lead many readers to feel a sense of closure for Emilio and a satisfaction with how the 3 main species in these books form new bonds.