I have read ‘The Reality Dysfunction’ and the reviews (on Amazon) or the other volumes in the trilogy (sextilogy? hexilogy?).
Since I tend to get more annoyed than average about bad endings, I want to know a little more before making the commitment to read further.
So could someone summarize or point me to a synopsis on line?
I think I mostly want to know about the theology: Are the dead that come back just the wicked dead? Where do the souls of good people go? How about somebody on the borderline? Is there a Limbo too?
I may be forgetting a bit, but I think some of the possesed said they did not want to be killed and sent back (to Hell) Do any wicked souls come back more than once? How can they jump the queue ?
Feel free to point out any inconsistencies in the theology.
Do the Ly-cilph show up again?
Do we find out more about the disaster that killed the Laymil race?
No, the dead that come back are not the evil ones. They are the ones that are too ignorant or afraid or atached to this world to move onward. Good people and bad people go to the same places and drink at the same bars. But I did get the impression that being bad is a simptom (sp?) of not being ready altough being good is no guarantee of having the guts/curiosity to do it.
There is no hell, just the Beyond, and the mechanics of how you “move” in there are never explained. The possessed can select a specific person to come and extra determined souls can shove their way ahead of the rest.
The Ly-cilph are mentioned only in passing in one sentence by the end of the book. We do get to know new and nifty new alien species.
I don’t remenber in which book Hamilton is done with the Laymil, so tell me what you know and I’ll tell you if there is anything more to be known.
End Of Book Being Spoiled Ahead, Enter With Caution.
The ending is a great deux ex-machina that leaves a very unsatisfing aftertaste. Joshua meets God, gains superpowers and puts the world to rights.
As to the Laymil, I believe at the end of book 1 part 2 humans had deciphered the Laymil’s data storage to realize the Laymil had encountered a similar problem (the Returned). That prompts a question, do the souls of all sentinent races come back, or just humans?
Is the operation of the “Alchemist” cool/scientifically believable?