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Brian Herbert
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The Race for God Kindle Edition

by Brian Herbert (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
3.8 out of 5 stars 12 ratings
Who needs Heaven? God, it turns out, lives on the planet Tananius-Ofo in the distant galaxy 722C12009. And now, after countless millennia, He’s invited us to come visit Him. Not everybody, mind you. Just an odd assortment of heathens, heretics, pantheists, perverts, and true believers of every sect and creed—all crammed into a single white spaceship piloted by a slightly crazed biocomputer. Each pilgrim is determined to be the first to reach God and learn His secrets . . . If they don’t all kill each other on the way there
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  1. Print length
    368 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    WordFire Press
  4. Publication date
    August 5, 2016
  5. File size
    4.0 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

After a promising start, Herbert's heavy-handed work rapidly disintegrates into uninspired philosophizing and potshots at organized religion. God uses an unlikely spokesman, Evander McMurtrey--who as a lark had founded the Interplanetary Church of Cosmic Chickenhood--to issue an unusual invitation to the people of the planet D'Urth: although he doesn't explain why, God would like them to race each other to visit him on his remote world of Tananius-Ofo, and provides a fleet of computer-piloted spaceships for transport. On McMurtrey's own ship are the embattled followers of various religions, such as Krassianism (read Christianity), Hoddism (Buddhism) and Middism (Judaism), who squabble their way toward God (even the computer is accused of blasphemy). McMurtrey is an engagingly eccentric character, but Herbert ( Prisoners of Arionn ) laces his meandering text with banal observations ("every experience in life is a lesson") and tiresome irreverences, such as this attack on Catholic absolution: "Confess to murder and rape, say you accept Krassos Christ and you get a ticket to Heaven. What a sick, sic e-vile religion!"
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

About the Author

Brian Herbert is the author of multiple New York Times bestsellers. He has won a number of literary honors including the New York Times Notable Book Award, and has been nominated for the highest awards in science fiction. After more than five years in development, he published Dreamer of Dune, a moving biography of his father (Frank Herbert) that was a Hugo Award finalist. His acclaimed novels include the Timeweb trilogy (Timeweb, The Web and the Stars, and Webdancers); The Stolen Gospels; The Lost Apostles; The Race for God; Sidney's Comet; Sudanna, Sudanna; and Man of Two Worlds (written with Frank Herbert). He also wrote the Hellhole Trilogy (Hellhole, Hellhole Awakening, and Hellhole Inferno) and many international-bestselling Dune-series novels with Kevin J. Anderson. Recently, Brian published Ocean, an epic fantasy novel about environmental issues (based upon a concept by his wife, Jan). The premise of Ocean is highly original and revolutionary-the ocean and its dangerous sea creatures declare war against our civilization, in retaliation for human-caused pollution and other abuses to those waters. Like many of Brian's novels, it exposes an important social issue in a thought-provoking way. Brian's highly original SF novel, The Little Green Book of Chairman Rahma, came out in 2014-the imaginative story of a green utopia that is not a utopia for those living in it-the ecologically oriented government enforces its edicts with deadly police state methods. Publishers Weekly referred to this work as "a fresh and forbidding near-future world." That was just one of many excellent reviews that Brian's works have received, going all the way back to his first SF novel, Sidney's Comet, which Publishers Weekly described as "unusually inventive and original." He recently completed a new SF novel, The Assassination of Billy Jeeling, and is working on another one. He and Kevin are also polishing up their 14th Dune series novel, Navigators of Dune. Many of Brian's novels are highly original, and involve not only environmental issues, but issues involving politics, religion, and the history of human civilization. His new short story collection, Dangerous Worlds, includes many of his original ideas, including the startling premise for the collaborative story he wrote with Bruce Taylor, "Death of the Internet." --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DHV1WP1D
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ WordFire Press (August 5, 2016)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 5, 2016
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 4.0 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 368 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.8 out of 5 stars 12 ratings

About the author

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Brian Herbert

Brian Herbert

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Brian Herbert is the author of multiple New York Times bestsellers. He has won several literary honors including the New York Times Notable Book Award, and has been nominated for the highest awards in science fiction. In 2003, he published DREAMER OF DUNE, a moving biography of his father Frank Herbert that was a Hugo Award finalist. His acclaimed novels include SIDNEY'S COMET; SUDANNA, SUDANNA; THE RACE FOR GOD; TIMEWEB; THE STOLEN GOSPELS; and MAN OF TWO WORLDS (written with Frank Herbert), in addition to the HELLHOLE Trilogy and DUNE-series novels co-authored with Kevin J. Anderson. Brian published OCEAN, an epic fantasy novel about environmental issues (co-authored with his wife, Jan). Brian's highly original SF novel, THE LITTLE GREEN BOOK OF CHAIRMAN RAHMA released in 2014. See his website: brianherbertnovels.com for book touring information.

SCIENCE FICTION/FANTASY NOVELS

Ocean (with Jan Herbert)

The Little Green Book of Chairman Rahma

Sidney's Comet

The Garbage Chronicles

Sudanna, Sudanna

Man of Two Worlds (with Frank Herbert)

Prisoners of Arionn

The Race For God

Memorymakers (with Marie Landis)

Blood on the Sun (with Marie Landis)

Stormworld (novella, with Bruce Taylor)

The Unborn

The Assassination of Billy Jeeling

THE TIMEWEB SERIES

Timeweb

The Web and the Stars

Webdancers

THE STOLEN GOSPELS SERIES

The Stolen Gospels

The Lost Apostles

THE DUNE SERIES (with Kevin J. Anderson)

Dune: House Atreides

Dune: House Harkonnen

Dune: House Corrino

Dune: The Butlerian Jihad

Dune: The Machine Crusade

Dune: The Battle of Corrin

The Road To Dune

Hunters of Dune

Sandworms of Dune

Paul of Dune

The Winds of Dune

Sisterhood of Dune

Mentats of Dune

Navigators of Dune

Dune: The Duke of Caladan

Dune: The Lady of Caladan

Dune: The Heir of Caladan (forthcoming)

Tales of Dune

Sands of Dune

THE HELLHOLE SERIES (with Kevin J. Anderson)

Hellhole

Hellhole Awakening

Hellhole Inferno

NON-FICTION BOOKS

Dreamer of Dune (biography of Frank Herbert)

The Forgotten Heroes (story of the U.S. Merchant Marine)

HUMOR BOOKS

Classic Comebacks

Incredible Insurance Claims

Customer reviews

3.8 out of 5 stars
12 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Pulserock0
    5.0 out of 5 stars this is an enjoyable read.
    Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2010
    far better than any attempt made to further his father's cause;
    i was able to read this and enjoy Brian as a writer.
    One person found this helpful
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  • S. Hendricks
    4.0 out of 5 stars Great concepts about religion-worth reading
    Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2009
    This short work (394 pages) by Brian Herbert (son of Frank Herbert of Dune fame) is a great collection of all the knocks, dings, doubts and catch phrases of organized religion. These concepts are very important and when brought out in a comedic fashion can be a good start for discussions of "God", religion and why things are the way they are. Instead of hitting you over the cranium with these issues, he disguises them in the form of a story about "The Race for God".

    This book gives much food for thought about organized religion and the different forms it takes.

    Some of the issues addressed include:
    -Why are many of the major religions similar yet they do not accept that?
    -What is lawful to one religion may be unlawful to another and vice versa.
    -The books used by all religions were written by men and thus are susceptible to misinterpretations and incorrect printing over the ages.
    -If there were only one religion, would not that be a dead give away that there was one God.
    -If there is only one-way to God, does not that eliminate quite a few people who never had that chance?
    -Can God create a rock that even he cannot lift? If so, does not this negate his omni powerfulness?
    -Does God only rule this universe?

    "The Race for God" does however, have some issues of its own. The ending is quite unfulfilling and offers a few more questions than it answers. The set up of Gutan's character could have been more succinct and less graphic. Otherwise it was a novel worth reading that created or rehashed some good ideas in this reader's feeble mind and thus deserves a 4 star rating.

    Sam Hendricks, author of Fantasy Football Guidebook and Fantasy Football Almanac 2009 (releases 1 May 2009)
    2 people found this helpful
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  • The Big Bee
    1.0 out of 5 stars Don't bother
    Reviewed in the United States on December 10, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    I'm usually pretty determined to finish what I start, but this book did me in.

    The premise was interesting and I stuck with it to about half-way, but got terribly bogged down in abstruse argument and hypothesis. In the end I just couldn't be bothered reading any further. A good story ruined by verbiosity.
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  • Kindle Customer
    2.0 out of 5 stars Late for the Starting Line
    Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2008
    This book starts with a comedic situation (Interplanetary Church of Cosmic Chickenhood) but quickly drifts to cynicsm about all religions. It's basic idea is that one religion is as good as another, and none of them are worth much except as a means for individuals to accumulate power. Herbet's portrayal of God is a disappointment, but the reader is well-prepared for the let-down by the time that point in the book is reached. The author creates a few interesting situations, e.g. an almost indestructable android, but can't deal with problems the android creates, so he simply shuts him off or leaves him walking up a cliff at the end of the book. In summary, anyone expecting that the title is an indication of philosophical insight is sure to be disappointed.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Red Stowic
    1.0 out of 5 stars Terrible work
    Reviewed in the United States on October 22, 2009
    The first handful of pages in this book interested me enough to decide I'd follow through with the rest of it. What a mistake that was.

    This book is nothing but the author's method of treating us to his personal opinions of religion. It shows mainly through the dialog. The characters only have personalities until they start talking about religion, at which point they all become exactly the same character (with the exception of the religious zealots, whose arguments are quickly and soundly trumped, for no reason other than that the author doesn't like them). Once the author starts one of his religous rants, all the other characters fall in line and do as their told.

    Long before you reach the "surprise" at the end (O NOES! God isn't really what most people think of him! Whatever shall we do?!) you'll know exactly what's going to happen to every character and event, because it all hinges on the authors overly-apparent religous opinions. Once you've figured out what it is he wants to happen to make his point, you'll know exactly what DOES happen.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Todd Sauder
    1.0 out of 5 stars Sucked
    Reviewed in the United States on November 27, 2007
    Have you ever read a story that didn't seem like a story but instead felt like an author telling you his views on life, the universe and everything (apologies to Douglas Adams who is a fantastic author)? Talk about being beaten over the head with an opinion! This should have been a essay instead of a novel - and a bad essay at that. I'm sorry but this was a great idea that was simply not executed well at ALL.
    7 people found this helpful
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