What a wonderful concept!  Mr. Robinson proposes an
alternate history without a Europe.  The Black Death
exterminates the Europeans from Constantinople to
Scandanavia, leaving Moslem civilization in the West and a
swelling China in the East.  The new history's sweep is seen
through a series of Buddhist reincarnations of the same
family of personalities.  There is always a rebellious "K;"
always a sensitive "B;" always a mathematical "I."  Their
struggles to shape the earth's history and their own
spiritual future guide the overview of the work.  That
constant re-involvement of striving personalities negates
arguments that an Islamic/Indian/Chinese world only have
stagnated.
 The book began as a slow, good read, worth taking days
with.  What a great idea!
 Alas.
 By the last two chapters, Mr. Robinson has left writing
and taken up preaching.  The enjoyable days of reading
dragged into weeks of hoping-to-finish.  Rip off the last
quarter of this book, and leave yourself with a positive
impression of the author.  Otherwise, prepare for endless
beatings on your intellect of the Theories of History.
Prepare for sermon text instead of action.  Prepare to defend
against being browbeaten into the successful inevitability of
Buddhist/feminist/socialist class struggle.  Prepare to watch
the author virtually abandon his migrating-consciousnesses
concept and begin preaching a kind of humanist reincarnation
in a plot-free environment.  Prepare to be bored.
 Who let this happen?  Who let a good book go bad?  The
fault obviously lies primarily with the author.  Still, isn't
there at least one editor out there who isn't an MBA, who can
still offend a cash-cow author by telling them to rewrite
those awful last chapters?
 Evidently not.  This book is too small for a door-stop
or a decent fish habitat at the bottom of the lake.
Otherwise, there's always the used-book trade-in or the
fireplace.  Don't waste your time finishing it.
What a wonderful concept! Mr. Robinson proposes an
alternate history without a Europe. The Black Death
exterminates the Europeans from Constantinople to
Scandanavia, leaving Moslem civilization in the West and a
swelling China in the East. The new history's sweep is seen
through a series of Buddhist reincarnations of the same
family of personalities. There is always a rebellious "K;"
always a sensitive "B;" always a mathematical "I. "  Their
struggles to shape the earth's history and their own
spiritual future guide the overview of the work. That
constant re-involvement of striving personalities negates
arguments that an Islamic/Indian/Chinese world only have
stagnated. The book began as a slow, good read, worth taking days
with. What a great idea! Alas. By the last two chapters, Mr. Robinson has left writing
and taken up preaching. The enjoyable days of reading
dragged into weeks of hoping-to-finish. Rip off the last
quarter of this book, and leave yourself with a positive
impression of the author. Otherwise, prepare for endless
beatings on your intellect of the Theories of History. Prepare for sermon text instead of action. Prepare to defend
against being browbeaten into the successful inevitability of
Buddhist/feminist/socialist class struggle. Prepare to watch
the author virtually abandon his migrating-consciousnesses
concept and begin preaching a kind of humanist reincarnation
in a plot-free environment. Prepare to be bored. Who let this happen? Who let a good book go bad? The
fault obviously lies primarily with the author. Still, isn't
there at least one editor out there who isn't an MBA, who can
still offend a cash-cow author by telling them to rewrite
those awful last chapters? Evidently not. This book is too small for a door-stop
or a decent fish habitat at the bottom of the lake. Otherwise, there's always the used-book trade-in or the
fireplace. Don't waste your time finishing it.