Review of Phenomenon
- Report
Post by Sam Ibeh » 22 Nov 2021, 06:34
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Phenomenon" by Neil Fulcher.]
4 out of 4 starsShare This Review
Neil Fulcher in Phenomenon took readers on a spiritual adventure to discover the origin of life and its ultimate destination. He narrated his own experience with the 'Trinitarians' and hoped that readers would undertake an adventure to understand the power and accessibility of the spiritual plain.
The book was presented in clean, well-edited writing (at least for a book of over 400 pages). The author's language drifted from philosophical at the beginning to emotional towards the end. Initially, the author presented his ideas in a rather complex way. It would not be an easy task for some readers to grasp the crux of the author's narration. I would admit that I was not freed from this initial struggle. Thankfully, it did get more straightforward towards the end. However, this might not serve the book well because non-resilient readers might dismiss it as too theological before getting the hang of it.
The book also brought to the fore the ancient battle for the human soul alongside the battle between good and evil. With his descriptive narration, clear images of this struggle were created. His references to 'samurai warriors,' allowed us to have a picturesque idea of what he described.
Neil brought the readers in tightly into the narration. The reader, tagged as '8,' was a character in this book. The ripple effect was that the reader became unequivocally part of the adventure as though it was their own experience.
I'm reluctant to consider what it must have cost the author to have presented such complex ideas of divinity. The 'Trinitarian' nature of God had been the subject of many conflicting philosophies, but the author's take on it was as unique as it was commendable. His dissection and logical analysis were effortless, though not surprising, as he wrote from experience. No matter a reader's opinion about the author's 'boldness' to discuss such a mysterious subject, they would be persuaded to think and examine the author's story closely. They would start to introspect on the reality of eternal life and death in the manner that Neil had presented.
The spiritual adventure captured in this book hinted at some resonating issues. The first of which was the problem of denomination and theology. These two factors have caused division within the church. Through this book's narration, it came out clearly that God was a God of all, irrespective of culture, color, gender, nation, or denomination. The second issue was the ever prominent role of social media in our lives. The author called it 'social manipulation' as he pointed out the controlling power that the media and our addiction to mobile phones had exacted over our existence.
The book was intrinsically about the undiluted power of God that transcends our existence. Neil brought to life the verse of the Bible that says, "before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee." He firmly asserted that there was existence before conception — a ludicrous yet intriguing possibility. I believe that this book gave a lot of takeaway options for readers, one of which was this: 'God is light, and no darkness can put it out.'
The spiritual journey presented in Phenomenon was one that curious readers would enjoy, and I'd recommend it to seekers of spiritual truth and understanding. I only had a few concerns about the early parts of the book. However, it would be no reason to fault this book. Therefore, I'd rate it four out of four stars.
The book PHENOMENON is a philosophical / religious novel that pulls no punches in trying to find answers to that age old question: is God a real conscious being? If He is, then it must be provable by the fact that we can visit him spiritually if not physically. If God is not a real living being that can be communicated with and visited, then it is the longest running fraud in history, and we have all been hustled.
The novel is set in Rotherham at the magnificent Wentworth Woodhouse and tells a story we all experience in our lives fictionally in our hopes and fears, and factually as we try to bring meaning, adventure and reality into our lives as we all live, work and socialise in Rotherham.
Yes, it has some plane talking about political and religious life in Rotherham. Most people know as Rothertonians we are so much more than our politicians and clergy. It is the everyday people that live in Rotherham that give us our grit, our tenacity, our fortitude and our belly laughs. It is the people and their lives in Rotherham that make Rotherham such an amazing place to adventure life in.
In some ways the book is unique like Rotherham folk as it uses the personal name of anyone reading the novel, fully emerging them in the story from start to finish. Each chapter gives the reader the option to stop reading and end the adventure or they can carry on reading and go deeper and deeper, driving the story forwards with their choices. Towards the end of the book the reader is the main character, and the book is more about them than me as the writer. It is not until the last few chapters that the reader fully realises that they themselves have dictated the ending of the greatest adventure ever experienced and that turns a phenomenon into phenomenal.
If you were born in Rotherham before 1980 you could honestly say like the well-known Royal Navy TV advert, ‘Born in Rotherham forged by steel and coal’. The book is published by Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd and is available in hardback, paperback and ebook via Amazon UK, as well as being available in all good book shops such as Waterstones, Barnes & Noble and WH Smiths and many more UK and European wide outlets.
The book PHENOMENON is a philosophical / religious novel that pulls no punches in trying to find answers to that age old question: is God a real conscious being? If He is, then it must be provable by the fact that we can visit him spiritually if not physically. If God is not a real living being that can be communicated with and visited, then it is the longest running fraud in history, and we have all been hustled.
The novel is set in Rotherham at the magnificent Wentworth Woodhouse and tells a story we all experience in our lives fictionally in our hopes and fears, and factually as we try to bring meaning, adventure and reality into our lives as we all live, work and socialise in Rotherham.
Yes, it has some plane talking about political and religious life in Rotherham. Most people know as Rothertonians we are so much more than our politicians and clergy. It is the everyday people that live in Rotherham that give us our grit, our tenacity, our fortitude and our belly laughs. It is the people and their lives in Rotherham that make Rotherham such an amazing place to adventure life in.
In some ways the book is unique like Rotherham folk as it uses the personal name of anyone reading the novel, fully emerging them in the story from start to finish. Each chapter gives the reader the option to stop reading and end the adventure or they can carry on reading and go deeper and deeper, driving the story forwards with their choices. Towards the end of the book the reader is the main character, and the book is more about them than me as the writer. It is not until the last few chapters that the reader fully realises that they themselves have dictated the ending of the greatest adventure ever experienced and that turns a phenomenon into phenomenal.
If you were born in Rotherham before 1980 you could honestly say like the well-known Royal Navy TV advert, ‘Born in Rotherham forged by steel and coal’. The book is published by Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd and is available in hardback, paperback and ebook via Amazon UK, as well as being available in all good book shops such as Waterstones, Barnes & Noble and WH Smiths and many more UK and European wide outlets.
