God of Tarot (Tarot, Book 1)
Piers Anthony
Language: English
Pages: 178
ISBN: 0441294707
Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub
God of Tarot opens like the set-up for a Clifford D. Simak book: almost all of Earth has fled for the stars, fueled by the technology of matter transmission. Earth is left depopulated and stripped of all energy sources, with only the remnants left to keep the light burning.
Brother Paul is a monk of the Holy Order of Vision. His life is going as planned, until suddenly he is given a mission. God, or something like it, is apparently manifesting on a planet called Tarot. Paul is tasked with getting to the bottom of the animations and potentially making the decision as to whose God is the revealed God...
Author's Note:
This quarter-million-word novel of Tarot is published in three segments. This is the opening portion of the larger work, establishing the situation and covering the first major vision. It has its own unity, so may be read alone, though it is hoped the reader will be interested enough to peruse Books II and III also.
This novel relates to the author's Cluster series of adventures, with a number of interconnections, but is of quite a different nature; the two projects should not be confused.
The complex nature of this novel may lead to confusion in certain places, and some scenes may be offensive to certain readers. Yet there is a rationale: It is difficult to appreciate the meaning of the heights without first experiencing the depths.
symbolism. Too bad he hadn't brought along a Tarot deck; that could have distracted him very nicely. Brother Paul sat on a stove, waiting for the shipment to ship. After all that rush, they might at least have gotten on with it promptly once he was inside the capsule! But perhaps there were technical things to do, like switching coaches onto other sidings or whatever, lining everything up for the big jump. It was difficult to imagine how, in this nineteenth-century setting, he could be jolted to
admirably compact house." The wife climbed the ladder and disappeared into the loft. "It is her sleep-shift," Siltz explained. "She must help guard the wood by night, so she must prepare herself now. This is the reason we have space for you to stay." "Guard the wood?" Brother Paul asked, perplexed. Reverend Siltz brought out some long, limber strips of wood and set about weaving them into something like a blanket. "Brother Paul, wood is paramount. Our houses are made from it and insulated
were, after all, equal to men here. That would be nice. The Swami shrugged, evidently suppressing his irritation. "This female is the understudy to the Breaker," he said, by way of introduction. "She alone has no fear of the monster. It is apparent in her manner." "The Swami prefers his docile daughter," she responded, "who has few illusions of individuality." Thrust and counterthrust! "What is your name, Breaker Lady?" Brother Paul asked. "Why did you flee from me before, if you have so
Way back in Key Sex. I mean Six. You may view any cards you wish, but I shall do the interpretations." So that choice had been permanent, at least for the duration of this vision. Brother Paul feared he had chosen carelessly. Well, he would carry through, and be better prepared next time. This time, confronted with the choice between Virtue and Vice, it seemed he had chosen Vice. At least he had some familiarity with this particular image, although the Holy Order of Vision did not put much
wish to force us to lodge a charge of slander against you?" The manager was hitting hard! No charge of slander could stick, but with luck the client would not know that. The manager was showing how the professionals gambled, with nerve and flair. Grudgingly the challenger turned away. The manager's eyes flicked toward Paul. "Take a break; the flow has been interrupted here." Client flow was important; people had to feel at ease as they moved from game to game and entertainment to entertainment,