Subject: Review: How Like a God by Brenda W. Clough

From: [email-masked] (SFRevu)
Date: 02 Sep 1997 21:03:30 GMT

How Like a God by Brenda W. Clough
	Review copyright 1997 by Ernest Lilley 

[contains spoilers for at least one major plot point.  --AW]

Rob Lewis is only human, with one little exception. He can change your
mind.

Computer Programmer Rob Lewis starts out at the beginning of HOW LIKE A
GOD in his daily morning routine. Get the kids to school, his wife off to
her job, himself to work. Barring the unforeseen it will be another day in
suburbia, and Rob is content things the way they are. That's a pity
because the unforeseen is about to hit him like a tsunami.

Rob is easy to like and relate to, a dedicated father and husband, a
vaguely Dilbertesque programmer who fondly recalls the comics he read when
he was younger. He seems like someone you can trust. Unfortunately he's
only human.

While trying to get everyone where they are going, Rob discovers that he
has suddenly acquired the ability to read and alter minds. He has no idea
how it happened, and it takes a while for him to believe, but soon he's
off to save the world with his new power.

What Rob doesn't count on is the difference between power and control.
First, a fireman is killed because Rob had covered leaving work by
imprinting the suggestion that he was around somewhere. Then he realizes
that he is rewriting his kids' minds involuntarily and that his wife is
suddenly consumed by ambition to use his powers for their gain. He does
the only thing he can think of - run away. Destitute and homeless in New
York City, Rob shies away from human contact while he grapples with the
darkness within himself and his uncontrolled power.

A chance encounter with a neuro-scientist and the self-disgust generated
from nearly raping a young girl leads Rob to seek help learning to control
his power before the inevitable confrontation between human and divine
spirit. Rob sinks low enough in this phase to make the author's point, but
I'm sure I could have sunk considerably lower before accepting
responsibility for my actions. It doesn't hurt the story much, if at all,
but I think that the author pulled her punch a bit here.

From corporate Washington to New York to Siberia, HOW LIKE A GOD takes us
on a journey of self discovery reminiscent of LeGuin's LATHE OF HEAVEN, in
which George Orr dreams Effective Dreams that change the face of the
world.  This book is considerably more thoughtfully than the reality
hopping of MAINLINE by Deborah Christian. HOW LIKE A GOD is a thought
provoking story about what it means not just to be a god, but to be human
as well.

It's clear that author Brenda Clough has mastered her powers of persuasion
- I recommend this for readers of Fantasy and SF readers alike, as well as
mainstream readers that wouldn't touch Fantasy or SF on a dare. Now if I
could only reach out and adjust your minds!

%G ISBN 0-312-86263-6
%P TOR
%D March 1997

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