Strangers and Sojourners was, in my opinion, O'Brien's best work. The reflective, sombre narration of Anne's life is O'Brien at his best. The best parts of the Father's Tale are those parts, even though they drag on for too long.
Updating this comment. My favourite novel by O'Brien is Theophilos. Reflective narration of the journey from classical enlightened skepticism to the faith from the journals and letters of a fictional Theophilos adopted Father of Luke. The portion where he goes to the the holy land and interviews people who knew Christ is incredibly good.
Good Catholic novelists like O'Connor, Greene, and Waugh understand that ambiguity, ugliness, and doubt are necessary catalysts in the souls of their protagonists. I think Eugene Vodolazkin gets this, and from what I've heard so does John Fosse, if we're looking for contemporary Catholic masterpieces.
I wish Ignatius and Sophia Press would publish more fiction—but I realize this would probably only result in more books with highly convicted characters and dull plotlines veneered over soapboxing.
Thanks for the review, I’ve had Father Elijah on my to-read list for a while now and haven’t got around to it due to the length, although I was convinced that the quality was excellent. Would you recommend it, despite its flaws?
On that note, it would be great if you could do a reading list of great Catholic and Catholic-adjacent (looking at you, C. S. Lewis) fiction. Waugh, Tolkien and O’Connor are great, and I’m sure there are people following you who aren’t acquainted with them. I myself hadn’t heard of Sheldon Vanauken until you name-dropped him here.
I appreciate your overview of an author I've never heard of but I am stopped several times in my tracks by your misuse of the word "ensure" when you mean "assure." The first time I let it pass thinking it was a random typo, but after the second and third times I am led to believe you do not know its meaning. Anyway, I'll be back.
Ha! You should have a look at “The Eighth Arrow,” by one Father Wetta, from the same publisher. Then you’ll see the circle jerk in even more extreme action.
"Voyage to Alpha Centauri" was another waste of paper. Did make a decent doorjamb though. O'Brien is sort of like the pox in "catholic" literature, fun to start with, impossible to get rid of.
This had been on my list, thanks for the review. I thought the status quo opinion on O'Brien was that Father Elijah was his only book with true 'contemporary classic' bona fides, in part because it may have been based on actual personal revelation. Whatever the merits of the writing, it had a prophetic element for this time in the Church. Your point at the end is well taken and a healthy dose of reality.
Strangers and Sojourners was, in my opinion, O'Brien's best work. The reflective, sombre narration of Anne's life is O'Brien at his best. The best parts of the Father's Tale are those parts, even though they drag on for too long.
Updating this comment. My favourite novel by O'Brien is Theophilos. Reflective narration of the journey from classical enlightened skepticism to the faith from the journals and letters of a fictional Theophilos adopted Father of Luke. The portion where he goes to the the holy land and interviews people who knew Christ is incredibly good.
Good Catholic novelists like O'Connor, Greene, and Waugh understand that ambiguity, ugliness, and doubt are necessary catalysts in the souls of their protagonists. I think Eugene Vodolazkin gets this, and from what I've heard so does John Fosse, if we're looking for contemporary Catholic masterpieces.
I wish Ignatius and Sophia Press would publish more fiction—but I realize this would probably only result in more books with highly convicted characters and dull plotlines veneered over soapboxing.
Thanks for the review, I’ve had Father Elijah on my to-read list for a while now and haven’t got around to it due to the length, although I was convinced that the quality was excellent. Would you recommend it, despite its flaws?
On that note, it would be great if you could do a reading list of great Catholic and Catholic-adjacent (looking at you, C. S. Lewis) fiction. Waugh, Tolkien and O’Connor are great, and I’m sure there are people following you who aren’t acquainted with them. I myself hadn’t heard of Sheldon Vanauken until you name-dropped him here.
Cheers!
Dr. Johnson said of one of Congreve's works, "I would rather praise than read it." I wonder if Kreeft was thinking the same thing..
I appreciate your overview of an author I've never heard of but I am stopped several times in my tracks by your misuse of the word "ensure" when you mean "assure." The first time I let it pass thinking it was a random typo, but after the second and third times I am led to believe you do not know its meaning. Anyway, I'll be back.
You're right! Updated.
Cheap melodrama is cheap melodrama no matter how many crucifixes you wrap around it.
Ha! You should have a look at “The Eighth Arrow,” by one Father Wetta, from the same publisher. Then you’ll see the circle jerk in even more extreme action.
"Voyage to Alpha Centauri" was another waste of paper. Did make a decent doorjamb though. O'Brien is sort of like the pox in "catholic" literature, fun to start with, impossible to get rid of.
This had been on my list, thanks for the review. I thought the status quo opinion on O'Brien was that Father Elijah was his only book with true 'contemporary classic' bona fides, in part because it may have been based on actual personal revelation. Whatever the merits of the writing, it had a prophetic element for this time in the Church. Your point at the end is well taken and a healthy dose of reality.
Sounds like a bad read, although I have to say your including so much (unnecessary) vulgar language in the review proved a bit distracting.