Title: “Lessons on Destroying the World.”
Author: Gene Gant
Genre: Science Fiction, Young Adult.
Publisher: Harmony Ink Press
Pages: 200 pages
Blurb
Micah McGhee has struggled all his life against prejudice and abuse. Forced to drop out of school after the death of his mother, Micah works full time to support himself and his alcoholic father. One night, on his way home from a party, Micah’s hard life ends when he’s beaten to death by a street gang.
Three days later, Micah awakens with godlike abilities granted by the alien device that resurrected him. His work helping the downtrodden and performing miracles soon earns him worldwide attention—including the notice of conservative Reverend Vaughn Titus. Micah’s friends, devout Christians Antonio and Monica, along with Reverend Titus, urge Micah to use the power of the artifact to impose Biblical rule on the world. But Micah is all too familiar with how Christian law treats LGBT people, and he opposes the idea. When Antonio, Monica, and Reverend Titus gain access to the device, Micah must risk everything to stop them from forcing their religion onto everyone on earth.
Review
God said, “Let there be light,” but that’s about the only safe command in the Bible, as Gene Grant reminds us in his powerful page-turner, “Lesson on Destroying the World.”
The book follows the story of a young teen, a very likeable protagonist named Micah McGhee. Micah is a high school dropout who is relentlessly bullied, rejected by his peers, harassed by cops, and is just trying to get by in life at a local fast food dive, while taking care of his alcoholic father.
And then things really get bad for him.
A ruthless gang murders poor Micah on his way home from work, which is where the story should end, but alas, this is where it begins. Micah wakes up a few days later only to discover two amazing facts: that he is still alive, and that he is now a god—or rather, the next best thing. Somehow he has tapped into a very ancient and omnipotent alien power source, and now can pretty much do whatever he wants.
That, of course, is every teens’ fantasy come true, but there is always a catch. Tension arises as a group of fundamentalist Christians discover the source of Micah’s omnipotent powers and urgently attempt to appropriate it so they can judge humanity for its many sins. Micah is determined to prevent this from happening. In the end, his fundamentalist friends learn a valuable lesson. For at the core of this novel is a powerful message for conservative Christians – be careful what you wish for, as you just might get it. The book cleverly turns the tables on conservative Christians, demonstrating how they fail to live up to their own words. And in fact, how no one really can.
Gant is to be commended for this touching and exciting story that celebrates the dignity and worth of gays, lesbians, and transgender individuals, while issuing a challenge to all those believers who think they are on God’s side.
If you like thought-provoking science fiction with a twist, this one is for you. I enjoyed it immensely and look forward to Gene Gant’s numerous other novels.
You can purchase Lessons on Destroying the World from Amazon or directly from Harmony Ink Press.
Jay Jordan Hawke is the award winning author of the Two-Spirit Chronicles, which includes: Pukawiss the Outcast, A Scout is Brave, and Onwaachige the Dreamer. He is an avid sci-fi fan. His first love was Star Wars, but alas, he married Star Trek. Learn more about Jay Hawke at www.jayjordanhawke.com.