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Fine. Sewn binding. Cloth over boards. With dust jacket. 404 p. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
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New. Sewn binding. Cloth over boards. With dust jacket. 404 p. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
WOAH. I typically donÃ?Æ'Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¾Ã?¢t start out my reviews with such an eloquent opening (ha!), but Ã?Æ'Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬Ã?â?¦"PilgrimsÃ?Æ'Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬Ã?â??Ã?Â? by M.R. Leonard is unlike anything IÃ?Æ'Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¾Ã?¢ve ever read before. I was completely blown away when I actually comprehended the fact that this is the authorÃ?Æ'Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¾Ã?¢s debut.
Picture a dystopian science fiction novel set in a world paralyzed by fear of an impending alien arrival. Now imagine these aliens as devout Catholics. Intrigued? Read on!
The world is in shamblesÃ?Æ'Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬"governments are crumbling, the Black Shirts enforce martial law with brutal efficiency, and society teeters on the edge of collapse as everyone awaits the arrival of extraterrestrial beings. Enter Austin DeSantis, a guilt-ridden Latin teacher just trying to get by. HeÃ?Æ'Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¾Ã?¢s caught up in a personal and spiritual crisis while the larger world spirals out of control around him. Along the way, heÃ?Æ'Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¾Ã?¢s thrust into a clash of ideals: Father Ambrose, a man of unshakable faith, confronts the aliensÃ?Æ'Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¾Ã?¢ fanatical interpretation of Catholicism, while General FergussonÃ?Æ'Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¾Ã?¢s fear-driven tactics add another layer of chaos. And then thereÃ?Æ'Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¾Ã?¢s Virgil, an alien whose devout beliefs both unsettle and inspire as he pushes AustinÃ?Æ'Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬"and humanityÃ?Æ'Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬"to wrestle with their flaws, their faith, and what it means to survive. The stakes? Everything.
Against this backdrop, AustinÃ?Æ'Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¾Ã?¢s personal journey is the emotional core of the novel. Dismissed from his job, reeling from the consequences of his inaction during a murder, and obsessed with a woman heÃ?Æ'Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¾Ã?¢s never met, Austin stumbles through a crisis of faith and identity. His journey feels raw and human, and his flaws make him deeply relatable. His arc gains depth and complexity through his relationship with Virgil, the alien who becomes both his host and spiritual guide. VirgilÃ?Æ'Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¾Ã?¢s unwavering faith and profound insight force Austin to confront his failures and strive for something greater, creating a dynamic that is deeply personal and transformative.
Father Ambrose, director of the Vatican Observatory, is a commanding and thought-provoking figure. As a man of intellect and faith, Ambrose becomes the moral compass of the story, consistently challenging the aliensÃ?Æ'Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¾Ã?¢ rigid interpretation of Catholicism. This tension comes to a head when Ambrose condemns the aliens for wiping out an entire population in retaliation for the assassination of the pope. For the aliens, this act is justified as retribution and a defense of divine law. For Ambrose, it is a horrifying sin, a violation of the very faith they claim to uphold. This moral conflict is one of the bookÃ?Æ'Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¾Ã?¢s most compelling aspects, forcing readers to question the limits of religious dogma when wielded as a tool for judgment and power.
On the opposing side is General Fergusson, the calculating and authoritarian military leader whose ruthless strategies embody humanityÃ?Æ'Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¾Ã?¢s darker instincts. FergussonÃ?Æ'Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¾Ã?¢s manipulation of power, disregard for morality, and oppressive tactics make him a character readers will love to hate. His clashes with Austin and Father Ambrose underscore the bookÃ?Æ'Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¾Ã?¢s central tension between fear-driven control and faith-driven purpose.
And then thereÃ?Æ'Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¾Ã?¢s Virgil. The alienÃ?Æ'Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¾Ã?¢s faith, while devout, is undeniably fanatical, forcing humanity to confront not only its understanding of morality but also its darker reflection in these extraterrestrial beings. VirgilÃ?Æ'Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¾Ã?¢s interactions with both Austin and Father Ambrose are deeply thought-provoking, presenting an alien perspective that is at once unsettling and enlightening. As both a representative of the aliensÃ?Æ'Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¾Ã?¢ beliefs and a guide for AustinÃ?Æ'Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¾Ã?¢s redemption, Virgil embodies the bookÃ?Æ'Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¾Ã?¢s themes of faith and its potential for both destruction and salvation.
The aliensÃ?Æ'Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¾Ã?¢ faith-driven fanaticism is unnervingly familiar, portraying the dangers of extreme religious zeal. Their rigid interpretation of divine justice sparks actions that challenge readers to reflect on humanityÃ?Æ'Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¾Ã?¢s own history of using faith as a weapon. ItÃ?Æ'Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¾Ã?¢s an uncomfortable comparison to todayÃ?Æ'Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¾Ã?¢s world where religious, social, and political tensions run high.
Ã?Æ'Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬Ã?â?¦"PilgrimsÃ?Æ'Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬Ã?â??Ã?Â? by M.R. Leonard is ambitious, unforgettable, and uniquely profound. I believe this secures his place as a bold new voice in the genre. The writing is sharp, the world-building pulls you in, and the tension doesnÃ?Æ'Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¾Ã?¢t let up for a second. Ã?Æ'Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬Ã?â?¦"PilgrimsÃ?Æ'Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬Ã?â??Ã?Â? asks big questions about faith, morality, and survival and challenges the boundaries of dystopian sci-fi while delivering an engaging story that will stay with you long after youÃ?Æ'Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¾Ã?¢ve turned the last page. IÃ?Æ'Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¾Ã?¢ve never encountered anything quite like it, and I doubt I will again for a long time. That, in itself, is the highest praise I can give.
LiteraryTitan
Dec 28, 2024
Literary Titan
Pilgrims is a bold and complex journey into a near-future world on the brink of alien annihilation. Set against a backdrop of societal breakdown and moral ambiguity, M. R. Leonard weaves a tapestry of charactersâ�"some desperate, some heroicâ�"grappling with the weight of their choices in a crumbling world. From Monsignor Innocentiâ��s heart-wrenching battle against killer robots in a Saudi hospital to Austin DeSantisâ�� spiral into moral despair in the face of Earthâ��s imminent doom, the novel intertwines deeply human struggles with high-stakes sci-fi elements.
I found the prologue absolutely magnetic. The sheer tension of Monsignor Innocentiââ?¬â?¢s showdown with the machines sets a visceral tone for the book. The imagery of him baptizing infants as a last-ditch act of spiritual salvation, despite the chaos and pain, stayed with me long after I turned the page. It was a stark reminder of humanityââ?¬â?¢s resilience even when hope seems like a cruel joke. That said, I did question the plausibility of the ââ?¬Å"halo of protectionââ?¬Â? concept, which felt at odds with the otherwise grounded desperation of the scenes. Still, itââ?¬â?¢s one of those bold narrative choices that you either embrace or not.
Austin�s arc was heartbreaking. His obsession with Aurelia, a figure as much fantasy as flesh, mirrors a society unraveling under the weight of unmet needs and crushing inevitability. His moral failings, especially his complicity in the old man�s death, are infuriating yet painfully human. Leonard excels here by forcing readers to confront the uncomfortable: What would we do when cornered? His choices are bleak, but they feel real. When Austin rationalized his inaction at the shop, my frustration bubbled over, but it made for compelling reading. I wanted to shake him, but I also understood him.
Leonard gives us fragments, government overreach, a collapsing economy tied to Fedcoin, and a global militarization effort to deter aliens. I wanted to dive deeper into the motivations of the aliens and the ââ?¬Å"Premiseââ?¬Â? and ââ?¬Å"Corollary,ââ?¬Â? which are mentioned often but remain opaque. That said, the storyââ?¬â?¢s urgency and personal stakes kept me glued to the page, even when the larger context felt murky.
Pilgrims is a story that punches you in the gut with its grimness, yet it doesnâ��t wallow. Leonard forces his charactersâ�"and his readersâ�"to confront some brutal truths about survival, morality, and what it means to be human. Iâ��d recommend it to fans of dystopian novels who donâ��t shy away from the darker corners of the human condition.
