I finally buckled down and read this gem of a book, and the book left me fairly confused in regards to one of the characters.
While I was reading the book I kept thinking that the hermit character was going to play a larger role later in the book.
My questions are these:
1) Was it ever explained who exactly this guy was?
2) How was he immortal
3) A few times during the book he would look at someone then say "You are not him." Who was he looking for?
4) What happened to him after the second apocalypse?
I found it strange that the author inserted this character into the book. Aside from showing Brother Francis the bunker, I didn't see what purpose he served in the second and third stories. We find that he is between 3000-5200 years old at the time of the second story.
Did I miss something?
Amazing book. It is the kind of book that could be made into an amazing TV series if done right.
Posted by Flying Fish (Member # 12032) on :
It's been a while since I read ACFL, but was that character the "Wandering Jew" of legend?
(Pssss't. Please don't tell Sa'eed we might be talking about Jews here......)
Regardless, that's a fabulous book, a work of genius.
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
quote:It's been a while since I read ACFL, but was that character the "Wandering Jew" of legend?
That's my understanding.
Posted by Geraine (Member # 9913) on :
Yes, the "Wandering Jew" who I believe called himself "Lazarus"
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
The character is based on a Christian medieval legend of Lazarus (The Wandering Jew). In the New Testament, Jesus raises a beloved friend, Lazarus, from the dead. The legend is that Lazarus, once raised, became immortal and remains an observant Jew and will continue to wander the earth until Jesus returns.
Posted by kmbboots (Member # 8576) on :
Huh. I have also heard that the Wandering Jew was doomed to wander because he taunted Jesus on the way to the crucifiction. And that he converted.
Posted by The White Whale (Member # 6594) on :
I could probably find this on the interwebs, but I think you guys might have more insight into its meaning:
What was the meaning of the two Hebrew letters the Wandering Jew marked the chamber with in the beginning?
Posted by King of Men (Member # 6684) on :
The Wandering Jew appeared more often in literature at the time than he does now. I recall one SF story where the main character is retiring from a career as a maker of boots, and another is shocked to learn that he has never been off Earth. "What, not even as far as the Moon?" It is explained that people here go to the Moon as people now go to the beach: For a weekend's diversion. However, "tarry here until I come" is revealed as being not only instruction, but a literal curse; and every time Ahasuerus - of course it is him - has tried to get off the Earth, the spaceship has blown up, or some similar accident has happened. Naturally Ahasuerus is prevented from getting aboard by one coincidence or another, so that he alone survives. By the time of the story he does not like to try anymore.
Posted by Flying Fish (Member # 12032) on :
Has anyone here read the sequel by Terry Bisson? If so, how did you like it?
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
quote:Originally posted by kmbboots: Huh. I have also heard that the Wandering Jew was doomed to wander because he taunted Jesus on the way to the crucifiction. And that he converted.
I'm sure there are many variants on the legend.
Posted by kmbboots (Member # 8576) on :
Yep.
Posted by Geraine (Member # 9913) on :
I assume then that the man he was looking for was Jesus.
That is really interesting. The end of the book made it sound like the fallout was so bad that no one had survived. Being doomed to be the only person on earth would really be a horrible fate, if only because you know it will be hundreds or thousands of years before humans return. If he is waiting for Jesus, who you would think would really only come back when humans are around, he could be living there for a whole lot longer.
Posted by Sterling (Member # 8096) on :
I think there was also some suggestion that if the character was Lazarus, having been resurrected by Jesus he simply could no longer die.