Where can a story about reincarnation start?
Well, at the beginning, duh.
We meet our protagonist, Rowen, right there at the moment of conception. Nevertheless, we don’t get bothered with the dirty details of the deed— we don’t need that because we follow our protagonist in his most essential essence: a Y-chromosome-entity in search of that X which will make him human, or whole, depending on your concept of wholeness (or humanity).
From pirates to royalty to Huns, we follow Rowen as he embarks on a journey of self-discovery and dumbassery. It’s impossible to truly discover yourself and purpose without screwing it up at least ten times. That thing about “third time is the charm” does not apply to reincarnation. It doesn’t apply to anything really; we just like things in threes— until monogamy rears its judge-y head...
Alas, we are not here to debate the wonders of polyamory, even though we’re dealing with gods and they keep telling us to do things they don’t even consider doing themselves: like keep it in the “only one” conjugal conjunction.
This time, Rowen negotiates with, Fellimus, a kinder (?) deity than the previous one. Not going to give you details on that deity because the idea is to entice you to buy the book and give money to Sowrider. I get no commission, so your purchase goes (after taxes, Amazon’s fee, and tithe for Fellimus) entirely to the author.
Although we don’t spend the same amount of time in each life/gamble/lesson, we spend an almost equal amount amid the gods between journeys/tests/dumbassery.
Now, let me tell you something, that time Rowen spends with the deities makes me hope atheists are right— because these unknowable beings are the worst. They are petty, childish, and ridiculous. NO wonder humanity is so messed up if we are created in their image.
Regardless, I don’t think the point of this story is to relate to the gods, but to understand the control we should have over our lives as individuals and how those actions affect our surroundings. Or it’s none of that and just to make fun of everyone and everything; an absolute possibility knowing Mr. Sowrider.
There are Schools of Thought regarding how we live all our reincarnations (or lives if the other term is taboo to you) simultaneously. This book ain’t part of none of those, but it’s interesting how it implies that TIME isn’t linear. Rowen goes back to Earth to live several times but not in a sequential way. His are not the time periods of a history book; he goes to whenever suits his gamble/lesson. He even has a life as a pre-Homo Sapiens; *that* I did not see coming.
Despite its deep themes, this is a tale of the absurd. The lessons are wacky because the reward is (you find something that rhymes with wacky) a better afterlife.
Knocked one star, though, because I didn’t appreciate Fellimus sending Rowen to the only non-gay-approving Pirates in the effing Caribbean. It might have had a reason in the story, but *matelotage* was a thing, so yeah, color me miffed.
Whether you learn something or not (there’s even a test at the end to grade your understanding of the book) NEGOTIATIONS WITH GOD 2 is an entertaining road trip, in a 1970 VW Bug (or Beetle for the purist) with a leaky radiator, but I guess that’s part of the fun.
Just keep in mind these words of wisdom from Fellimus, “Recognition is the first step to defeat dumbassery,” as you make a pit stop in every other gas station.
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