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The Book of Luce
My obsession begins in the magical year 1967, at Luce and the Photons' legendary last secret gig.
That night changes my life: I must know who Luce is. But the deeper I dig, the more questions I turn up. Is Luce a rock star or a pretender? An artist or an acid trip?
My redemption . . . or my delusion?
Drawn into the machinations of mysterious powers, I become the dark shadow who follows the light of Luce. But who follows me? Are they agents of evil or figments of my imagination? And do they follow me still?
The quest for Luce will lead me to the farthest corners of the earth and into the deadliest danger. I will lose everything and everyone I love . . . except for Luce.
Who is pawn and who is player? Murderer or victim? Betrayer or saviour?
I am the only one who knows the truth.
This is the truth.
This is The Book of Luce.
That night changes my life: I must know who Luce is. But the deeper I dig, the more questions I turn up. Is Luce a rock star or a pretender? An artist or an acid trip?
My redemption . . . or my delusion?
Drawn into the machinations of mysterious powers, I become the dark shadow who follows the light of Luce. But who follows me? Are they agents of evil or figments of my imagination? And do they follow me still?
The quest for Luce will lead me to the farthest corners of the earth and into the deadliest danger. I will lose everything and everyone I love . . . except for Luce.
Who is pawn and who is player? Murderer or victim? Betrayer or saviour?
I am the only one who knows the truth.
This is the truth.
This is The Book of Luce.
- GenresFiction
560 pages, Hardcover
First published August 10, 2017
About the author
L.R. Fredericks
3 books22 followersL.R. Fredericks’ New Jersey childhood was rural and idyllic, if somewhat unconventional. Raised by parents of European background and Bohemian disposition, she was educated at Quaker schools and later earned a degree from the University of Chicago, where she worked interdepartmentally on myth, poetry and shamanism. She frittered away her youth in frivolous pursuits - modelling, acting, performance - before she got serious about art and the nature of reality. Based then in New York, she took up painting and sculpture, which, until she started writing five years ago, was her main occupation. She also began what would be a lifelong study of the esoteric traditions of east and west. Training in transpersonal psychotherapy and Egyptology further expanded her horizons and conceptual vocabulary. She has lived in London for the last 20 years.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
March 20, 2018
I received a free copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
Slippery yet engaging novel with David Bowie homage aplenty.
I went into this book pretty much blind, without any clue about what it was about. As a result, for the first 100 pages or so, I was completely befuddled, but then I fell into the strange rhythm of the book and ended up enjoying it immensely.
It's about a writer (Chimera Obscura / 'The Scribe') who is on a mission to uncover the truth about a rock-star / Gnostic messiah known as Luce; or Peter Lucian, Lucie, Luce or many other names, depending on who he speaks to.
The book cuts to the past, with Chimera Obscura talking to various people about Luce and trying to discover who he or she really is. The only problem is, he's got people on his tail; people who want to get to Luce and smother the truth about what's really going on. I say people, but actually folks, they're demons; astral projections with the capacity to kill. In the modern day, Chimera Obscura is working towards the completion of the book - his lifetime's obsession.
So, what can you expect when you read this book? Firstly, if you're looking for an easy read, this isn't it. It's a beast at over 530 pages, and many parts of it are deliberately obtuse and slippery. I felt like I had a grasp of it, but then there were sections that baffled me. It's that type of book, and as a result, perhaps not for everyone.
However, I found it easy to look past this confusing narrative style, as there were so much hidden Bowie references going on here that it made me instantly warm to the author (as someone who has just included a Bowie character in their next book, I automatically like other authors who are under his spell!). The references to Bowie are sometimes obvious (Luce shares his birth-date and like him, is chameleonic and androgynous), and at other times a little more subtle. What I really liked was that the author captured that adulation that Bowie generated in others - the true artistry of creating a persona that was worthy of worship.
The pacing of the book was likewise very good - although it was a long read, it kept me reading on with interest. There's a rich host of characters and some very way-out ideas (be prepared to encounter plenty of esoteric notions - and to never be sure if it's real or a spun-out acid trip).
Overall, if you like books to challenge you, which don't automatically follow the conventions, but instead offer something a bit new and different, then you'll love this. If you're looking for a breezy beach-side read, this probably ain't for you.
Slippery yet engaging novel with David Bowie homage aplenty.
I went into this book pretty much blind, without any clue about what it was about. As a result, for the first 100 pages or so, I was completely befuddled, but then I fell into the strange rhythm of the book and ended up enjoying it immensely.
It's about a writer (Chimera Obscura / 'The Scribe') who is on a mission to uncover the truth about a rock-star / Gnostic messiah known as Luce; or Peter Lucian, Lucie, Luce or many other names, depending on who he speaks to.
The book cuts to the past, with Chimera Obscura talking to various people about Luce and trying to discover who he or she really is. The only problem is, he's got people on his tail; people who want to get to Luce and smother the truth about what's really going on. I say people, but actually folks, they're demons; astral projections with the capacity to kill. In the modern day, Chimera Obscura is working towards the completion of the book - his lifetime's obsession.
So, what can you expect when you read this book? Firstly, if you're looking for an easy read, this isn't it. It's a beast at over 530 pages, and many parts of it are deliberately obtuse and slippery. I felt like I had a grasp of it, but then there were sections that baffled me. It's that type of book, and as a result, perhaps not for everyone.
However, I found it easy to look past this confusing narrative style, as there were so much hidden Bowie references going on here that it made me instantly warm to the author (as someone who has just included a Bowie character in their next book, I automatically like other authors who are under his spell!). The references to Bowie are sometimes obvious (Luce shares his birth-date and like him, is chameleonic and androgynous), and at other times a little more subtle. What I really liked was that the author captured that adulation that Bowie generated in others - the true artistry of creating a persona that was worthy of worship.
The pacing of the book was likewise very good - although it was a long read, it kept me reading on with interest. There's a rich host of characters and some very way-out ideas (be prepared to encounter plenty of esoteric notions - and to never be sure if it's real or a spun-out acid trip).
Overall, if you like books to challenge you, which don't automatically follow the conventions, but instead offer something a bit new and different, then you'll love this. If you're looking for a breezy beach-side read, this probably ain't for you.
August 8, 2017
David Mitchell meets David Bowie in a mind bending literary quest. The book of Luce is a very long book of 539 pages. I have to be honest this book isn't for me. Lots of authors and people from the media have read this book. Joanne Harris commented A marvellous dark and intricate literary gothic novel. Financial Times have stated Richly ambitious one cannot help but be swept away by Fredricks bold intentions. Easy Living called The Book Of Luce Descriptively, conceptual and emotionally captivating. The Daily Mail has written Beautifully written. I made this statement about what people are saying in the media to help you decide if this book is right for you.
August 9, 2017
Luce, of Luce and the Photons – also known as Lukas, Petra, Lou, Lucienne and Peter among many, many other guises – is an androgynous rock star who sparks an obsession in the narrator (real name unknown). This novel is mostly composed of The Book of Luce itself, which chronicles the narrator's quest to find out who Luce really is, starting with an intoxicating secret gig he finds himself at in 1967. Punctuating the manuscript are notes from the present day, in which he has just been released from prison (crime unknown). The main narrative is a kaleidoscopic international adventure, skipping from Nevada to Kathmandu and Paris to the Highlands of Scotland in a fog of acid, hash and champagne, a spiritual journey-cum-hedonistic romp in which music, art, drugs, philosophy and ancient religion feature heavily. Tenets of Gnosticism are frequently referenced. There's a lot of talk of the astral plane. Dreams and hallucinations mingle with reality.
It's obvious Luce is much, much more than a great musician and artist: every person whose life s/he touches seems to experience either a revelatory moment of lucidity or a miraculous event; many of them go on to enjoy great success and fame. Is Luce an angel, an alien, even a god? What I found most intriguing was the fact that our narrator appears to be the exception to the rule. How has he ended up spending half his life in prison, released at age 70-something to a run-down flat, his only visitor the brother who continually addresses him as 'Weirdo'?
I have a chequered history with L.R. Fredericks' books – trying to love them, yet finding them wanting. I liked certain things about Farundell, but was repulsed by the main character and a dreadful romantic subplot. Fate sounded great on paper but was near-unreadable in practice. With The Book of Luce, the third part of a loose trilogy, everything seems to come together. Maybe the characters are stronger, maybe it's the absence of romance/sex scenes, maybe it's the more modern setting – I don't know, but something just clicked for me. (I know people find it useful to know this stuff, so I'll mention here that you definitely don't need to have read the other two books to enjoy this one. In fact, I would advise you to skip them.)
The style has more than a few run-ins with pretentiousness, but it works. Purple prose suits this hazy, trippy yarn of a novel very well. 'Chimera Obscura' (honestly, what a fucking terrible nom de plume) has a tendency to overwrite every other sentence – though, in this, he is believable as a frustrated writer. I never quite warmed to our self-important narrator; Fredericks seems to have an inexplicable preference for insufferable male protagonists, but at least this one isn't as awful as the 'heroes' of her previous novels (both of whom have (thankfully much more palatable) cameo roles in this story).
Luce him/herself is, wisely, shrouded in mystery throughout. The narrator is forever chasing shadows, and while his interviews with those who have met Luce are fascinating, his own (very) few glimpses of the real Luce are largely inconclusive until the very end. This is all very effective in making the title character intriguing. I felt as though I too was following Luce's trail, albeit through 550 pages of a book rather than across continents and dreamscapes.
As sprawling and eclectic as it is,The Book of Luce reminded me of lots of other media: The Ghost Network by Catie Disabato; Dodge and Burn by Seraphina Madsen; the Netflix series The OA; The Teleportation Accident by Ned Beauman; the film A Bigger Splash (I pictured Luce as Tilda Swinton's character); Night Film by Marisha Pessl; Doctor Who; this editorial; the later Harry Potters. If you loved any of the above, especially the first three, you may want to give this book a go.
I received an advance review copy of The Book of Luce from the publisher through NetGalley.
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It's obvious Luce is much, much more than a great musician and artist: every person whose life s/he touches seems to experience either a revelatory moment of lucidity or a miraculous event; many of them go on to enjoy great success and fame. Is Luce an angel, an alien, even a god? What I found most intriguing was the fact that our narrator appears to be the exception to the rule. How has he ended up spending half his life in prison, released at age 70-something to a run-down flat, his only visitor the brother who continually addresses him as 'Weirdo'?
I have a chequered history with L.R. Fredericks' books – trying to love them, yet finding them wanting. I liked certain things about Farundell, but was repulsed by the main character and a dreadful romantic subplot. Fate sounded great on paper but was near-unreadable in practice. With The Book of Luce, the third part of a loose trilogy, everything seems to come together. Maybe the characters are stronger, maybe it's the absence of romance/sex scenes, maybe it's the more modern setting – I don't know, but something just clicked for me. (I know people find it useful to know this stuff, so I'll mention here that you definitely don't need to have read the other two books to enjoy this one. In fact, I would advise you to skip them.)
The style has more than a few run-ins with pretentiousness, but it works. Purple prose suits this hazy, trippy yarn of a novel very well. 'Chimera Obscura' (honestly, what a fucking terrible nom de plume) has a tendency to overwrite every other sentence – though, in this, he is believable as a frustrated writer. I never quite warmed to our self-important narrator; Fredericks seems to have an inexplicable preference for insufferable male protagonists, but at least this one isn't as awful as the 'heroes' of her previous novels (both of whom have (thankfully much more palatable) cameo roles in this story).
Luce him/herself is, wisely, shrouded in mystery throughout. The narrator is forever chasing shadows, and while his interviews with those who have met Luce are fascinating, his own (very) few glimpses of the real Luce are largely inconclusive until the very end. This is all very effective in making the title character intriguing. I felt as though I too was following Luce's trail, albeit through 550 pages of a book rather than across continents and dreamscapes.
As sprawling and eclectic as it is,The Book of Luce reminded me of lots of other media: The Ghost Network by Catie Disabato; Dodge and Burn by Seraphina Madsen; the Netflix series The OA; The Teleportation Accident by Ned Beauman; the film A Bigger Splash (I pictured Luce as Tilda Swinton's character); Night Film by Marisha Pessl; Doctor Who; this editorial; the later Harry Potters. If you loved any of the above, especially the first three, you may want to give this book a go.
I received an advance review copy of The Book of Luce from the publisher through NetGalley.
TinyLetter | Twitter | Instagram | Tumblr
June 26, 2020
I'm a simple girl: I see that a book pays homage to David Bowie and I have to read it. After reading The Book of Luce, though, I've arrived at the conclusion that this may not be such a bright idea every time.
The premise is interesting enough: it's the 1960s — the Golden Era of LSD Counterculture— and a famous music journalist sets out to write a book about the elusive face behind Luce and the Photons, a mysterious rock band that has enamoured the world. Luce, of course, is the androgynous and chamelionic Bowie-figure, which is what made me persist with my reading despite the hideous cover and the bizzare first 100 pages (it did get a little interesting after that). However, The Book of Luce soon turned into an occult fantasy quest (who would've thought that Luce is also something of a modern-day Christ-the-healer? Well, she is, and so naturally, dangerous forces and the government are out to get her). I was unfortunately too far into the book by now (like, 300 pages) to DNF it, so I read it to the end, where the journalist (now very old and proud-wearer of a glass eye) finally finishes writing his magnum opus, a grand gnostic gospel about his sibylline subject — and then self-publishes it on Amazon for 99p.
There's a lot more nuance to that plot, of course, and in terms of style it is pretty well written (even in the uncorrected proof copy from which I read it), so maybe it just isn't for me. Sadly, it's also four whole days of reading time that I will never get back.
The premise is interesting enough: it's the 1960s — the Golden Era of LSD Counterculture— and a famous music journalist sets out to write a book about the elusive face behind Luce and the Photons, a mysterious rock band that has enamoured the world. Luce, of course, is the androgynous and chamelionic Bowie-figure, which is what made me persist with my reading despite the hideous cover and the bizzare first 100 pages (it did get a little interesting after that). However, The Book of Luce soon turned into an occult fantasy quest (who would've thought that Luce is also something of a modern-day Christ-the-healer? Well, she is, and so naturally, dangerous forces and the government are out to get her). I was unfortunately too far into the book by now (like, 300 pages) to DNF it, so I read it to the end, where the journalist (now very old and proud-wearer of a glass eye) finally finishes writing his magnum opus, a grand gnostic gospel about his sibylline subject — and then self-publishes it on Amazon for 99p.
There's a lot more nuance to that plot, of course, and in terms of style it is pretty well written (even in the uncorrected proof copy from which I read it), so maybe it just isn't for me. Sadly, it's also four whole days of reading time that I will never get back.
August 5, 2017
The Book of Luce is the third installation of L. R. Fredericks’ Time and Light series. Though there is a connection between the three, it is possible to understand and appreciate one without reading the others. I must confess I am rather intrigued by the other two.
It all begins with a thread.
The narrator, a journalist writing under the pseudonym of Chimera Obscura, is guided through an enigmatic set of clues that end up leading to a life-altering and conscious-expanding Luce and the Photons gig. The way the moment is described, the moment when the light first hits after the immersing darkness, brings the word rebirth to mind. What follows is a quest for meaning and understanding – Who is Luce?
Imagine an immense amount of puzzle pieces, so many you can hardly believe they will become one. Now imagine them coming together, one by one, no loose ends. The final image is a picture of the universe, if there ever was one. That was how it felt to read The Book of Luce by L. R. Fredericks.
To read more...
It all begins with a thread.
The narrator, a journalist writing under the pseudonym of Chimera Obscura, is guided through an enigmatic set of clues that end up leading to a life-altering and conscious-expanding Luce and the Photons gig. The way the moment is described, the moment when the light first hits after the immersing darkness, brings the word rebirth to mind. What follows is a quest for meaning and understanding – Who is Luce?
Imagine an immense amount of puzzle pieces, so many you can hardly believe they will become one. Now imagine them coming together, one by one, no loose ends. The final image is a picture of the universe, if there ever was one. That was how it felt to read The Book of Luce by L. R. Fredericks.
To read more...
August 5, 2017
The Book of Luce is a mysterious novel, filled with questions and uncertainties, as the identity of a godlike rock star and artist is unfurled by someone closely tied into their story. The narrator and metafictional author is known only by the pseudonym Chimera Obscura, and is attempting to tell the truth of Luce, a messianic figure who did legendary secret gigs as part of Luce and the Photons. Luce is genderless, maybe beyond human, a wanderer. Uncovering the secrets surrounding Luce seems to draw anyone into a dangerous game of dark agents and conspiracies. Regardless, this is the book to try and explain Luce to the world.
Fredericks has combined an intricate web of ingredients—rock music, art, mythology, religion, philosophy, LSD, demonology—to create an unusual and strangely intriguing novel, a kind of literary mystery that somehow can be reminiscent of House of Leaves, David Bowie, and Stranger Things amongst other things. The meta-book structure works well to frame the narrator’s quest and to leave many things unexplained, with a notably elusive narrator withholding information despite the claim to be uncovering the truth. It is long, but moves between so many episodes that it doesn’t really drag, and is broken up with short snippets from the narrator in the present day writing the book about Luce, giving further tiny clues as to where the Luce narrative is going.
The story starts in 1967 and there is plenty of Sixties and early Seventies culture infused into the novel, with plenty of acid taking, looking for hallucinogenic meaning, and conspiracy, but really the Sixties rock star element is only one part of this epic novel. It moves around the globe and through different art forms, identities, and philosophies as the narrator tracks different characters, under various names and personas. The mystery at the heart of the novel—who is Luce really—is also its meaning, and readers can take as many interpretations of this question as is said the various characters do. The overall effect is a kind of counterculture metafictional journey with a dangerous, almost thriller-like atmosphere at times, and a fourth-wall-breaking literary puzzle feel at others.
The Book of Luce is a clever and impressive novel, a drug-infused meta story that never wants to reveal too much or make definitive judgements or even descriptions. This style and story will not appeal to everyone (particularly the ambiguity of much of the book may annoy some), but certainly anyone who likes metafictional puzzles or acid trip conspiracy mixed with philosophy will find something interesting about the novel, which questions the need for definites whilst building up a mythology of its own.
Fredericks has combined an intricate web of ingredients—rock music, art, mythology, religion, philosophy, LSD, demonology—to create an unusual and strangely intriguing novel, a kind of literary mystery that somehow can be reminiscent of House of Leaves, David Bowie, and Stranger Things amongst other things. The meta-book structure works well to frame the narrator’s quest and to leave many things unexplained, with a notably elusive narrator withholding information despite the claim to be uncovering the truth. It is long, but moves between so many episodes that it doesn’t really drag, and is broken up with short snippets from the narrator in the present day writing the book about Luce, giving further tiny clues as to where the Luce narrative is going.
The story starts in 1967 and there is plenty of Sixties and early Seventies culture infused into the novel, with plenty of acid taking, looking for hallucinogenic meaning, and conspiracy, but really the Sixties rock star element is only one part of this epic novel. It moves around the globe and through different art forms, identities, and philosophies as the narrator tracks different characters, under various names and personas. The mystery at the heart of the novel—who is Luce really—is also its meaning, and readers can take as many interpretations of this question as is said the various characters do. The overall effect is a kind of counterculture metafictional journey with a dangerous, almost thriller-like atmosphere at times, and a fourth-wall-breaking literary puzzle feel at others.
The Book of Luce is a clever and impressive novel, a drug-infused meta story that never wants to reveal too much or make definitive judgements or even descriptions. This style and story will not appeal to everyone (particularly the ambiguity of much of the book may annoy some), but certainly anyone who likes metafictional puzzles or acid trip conspiracy mixed with philosophy will find something interesting about the novel, which questions the need for definites whilst building up a mythology of its own.
May 13, 2019
I was seriously blown away by this - to my surprise because ER Frederick’s previous two books have bored me very rigid. The Book of Luce had me enthralled from the very start and my interest rarely palled over the following 533 pages (it is a serious brick of a book). It’s appeal lies somewhere in the consistently fascinating character of Luce, the ambiguity of the story and unreliability of the unsound, narrator, the strangeness of the enemy. Mostly it’s the clever way the story slowly unfolds, as Luce’s bizarre and origins are revealed, piece by piece, but never make a whole, there are always pieces missing. I loved the ride, constantly enthralled, I always wanted to to know more. The narrative never palls as it bends across the planet and back and forth through time as the narrator, the journalist Chimera Obscura, tracks Luce through London, to the Nevada Desert and Las Vegas to Paris, the Himalayas and Japan, trying to keep one step ahead of the strange, malign forces of evil, the mysterious ‘Bigs’ and their ‘demon-simulacra’. There are so many threads here: LSD and its power to unlock the mind; art and music, mythology and religion, literature and a lot of hedonistic, late-sixties partying and a dozen other themes, all interwoven to make an exceptional whole that flows beautifully. Luce is angel-like, gender-fluid, probably non-human. A rock star with beatific supernatural abilities, whose strange story seems, at times to be an allegory of Jesus Christ. Luce also has his/her feet in the very un-Christ-like David Bowie’s shoes -without ever actually being Bowie. It’s hard to define what makes this so good, captivating story; it is decidedly trippy, completely engaging, always intriguing and hugely enjoyable.
August 8, 2017
Challenging. That is probably the best way that I can describe The Book of Luce. I imagine that its a bit like reading a biography of a musician while you are on an acid trip. The story weaves and winds as a journalist - known only to us under a pseudonym of Chimera Obscura - follows a trail of metaphoric breadcrumbs that lead to a life-altering and conscious-expanding Luce and the Photons gig in a derelict building.
Luce is a mysterious figure, sometimes male but mostly female, smoker of strong French cigarettes and keeper of secrets. A character who has played a seminal role in modern music influencing key artists like David Bowie.
On paper, it sounded like the type of book that I would absolutely love but in reality I found it a little too difficult to be enjoyable. The story moves around a timeline that is often difficult to follow and some readers may find the drug induced haze a little too much to bear. This is a book that you will either love or hate. For me I edged towards the latter. It is a meaty read as well so you need to be prepared to invest a fair amount of time to the enigmatic and mysterious Luce.
Supplied by Net Galley and Hodder & Stoughton in exchange for an honest review.
Luce is a mysterious figure, sometimes male but mostly female, smoker of strong French cigarettes and keeper of secrets. A character who has played a seminal role in modern music influencing key artists like David Bowie.
On paper, it sounded like the type of book that I would absolutely love but in reality I found it a little too difficult to be enjoyable. The story moves around a timeline that is often difficult to follow and some readers may find the drug induced haze a little too much to bear. This is a book that you will either love or hate. For me I edged towards the latter. It is a meaty read as well so you need to be prepared to invest a fair amount of time to the enigmatic and mysterious Luce.
Supplied by Net Galley and Hodder & Stoughton in exchange for an honest review.
September 24, 2017
Bear with me because I struggled with this one. The Book of Luce is the third part in what is supposed to be a very loose trilogy. I've not read the other two books so I couldn't vouch for that but I imagine you can read this one as a standalone.
Drawing parallels with David Bowie's androgynous years, Luce is the enigmatic lead singer of Luce and the Photons. Our narrator is Chimera Obscura, who is trying to find out what happened to Luce. Theres a LOT going on here, parts feel like a 500 page acid trip crossed with a physics lesson. If you find David Mitchell's books too lightweight then this may be for you but unfortunately it wasn't for me. This isn't a bad novel by any means and I would recommend this for a reader who wants something quite challenging and out there. Maybe Luce caught me on a bad day but I have to admit defeat this time!
I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.
Drawing parallels with David Bowie's androgynous years, Luce is the enigmatic lead singer of Luce and the Photons. Our narrator is Chimera Obscura, who is trying to find out what happened to Luce. Theres a LOT going on here, parts feel like a 500 page acid trip crossed with a physics lesson. If you find David Mitchell's books too lightweight then this may be for you but unfortunately it wasn't for me. This isn't a bad novel by any means and I would recommend this for a reader who wants something quite challenging and out there. Maybe Luce caught me on a bad day but I have to admit defeat this time!
I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.
May 12, 2018
The third in L.R. Frederick's loosely connected 'Time & Light' series of novels (each is entirely self-contained, so reading the preceding two is not necessary to understand this one, though if you have, recurring names and characters will give you some nice 'ah' moments of recognition), it wasn't as quick to pull me in as Fate was, but before long firmly had its hooks in.
Part biography (complete with index and footnotes), part travelogue, part look at the counter-culture of the 1960s & 70s and the esoteric traditions that inspired them, part bible (is is titled the 'Book ' of Luce, after all), part LSD infused Alice in Wonderland, part meditation on the nature of good, evil, reality, the mind and the soul, part [conspiracy] thriller. This book is not for everyone, some may find it's metaphysical themes pretentious, others may not be able to get past it's slow start. But if you can get past that, this book is an experience.
Part biography (complete with index and footnotes), part travelogue, part look at the counter-culture of the 1960s & 70s and the esoteric traditions that inspired them, part bible (is is titled the 'Book ' of Luce, after all), part LSD infused Alice in Wonderland, part meditation on the nature of good, evil, reality, the mind and the soul, part [conspiracy] thriller. This book is not for everyone, some may find it's metaphysical themes pretentious, others may not be able to get past it's slow start. But if you can get past that, this book is an experience.
August 25, 2017
I am commenting on this book solely on my finding it totally unreadable. I managed the first seventy odd pages without having a clue who the narrator is and where the book is going. It seems to be an acid-fuelled commentary on a musical band from the early 1980s whose few live performances were complete secrets. They are renowned for being unknown.
The narrator is unsure whether his memories are real or the result of a particularly vivid 'trip', but he has been engaged to write a retrospective on them.
Having said all that, it is well written in terms of grammar and style and I am not condemning it as a bad book; it is clear from other reviews that other people loved it but, much as I hate giving up on a book, life is too short and regrettably it failed to engage me.
Pashtpaws
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
The narrator is unsure whether his memories are real or the result of a particularly vivid 'trip', but he has been engaged to write a retrospective on them.
Having said all that, it is well written in terms of grammar and style and I am not condemning it as a bad book; it is clear from other reviews that other people loved it but, much as I hate giving up on a book, life is too short and regrettably it failed to engage me.
Pashtpaws
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
August 22, 2017
I received this book from a giveaway and started it immediately and I'm so glad that I did. After adapting to the style and tonality of this book, it flew by before I'd realised and I found it an engaging and interesting read.
I often read books on the tram to and from work and picking up and putting down a book with so many characters can often be confusing but that is not the case in this book. I never wanted to stop reading once I got to my stop!
I would recommend if you want something different to read; a nice dash of mystery, a pinch of intrigue and a healthy helping of psychedelic adventures thrown in. Definitely not your run of the mill novel so it's perfect if you're stuck in a reading rut and want something completely different!
I often read books on the tram to and from work and picking up and putting down a book with so many characters can often be confusing but that is not the case in this book. I never wanted to stop reading once I got to my stop!
I would recommend if you want something different to read; a nice dash of mystery, a pinch of intrigue and a healthy helping of psychedelic adventures thrown in. Definitely not your run of the mill novel so it's perfect if you're stuck in a reading rut and want something completely different!
August 12, 2017
Tbh, I wasn't sure if I loved this book or hated it, but I stuck with it. It reads like it was written by someone on a major acid trip, akin to some of Philip K Dick's darker publications. It concerns the major journey made by Chimera Obscura to discover what happened to Luce of legendary sixties band, Luce and the Photons. This is the story of that quest, with inter chapter stories from the present day. There is no doubt that David Bowie was a strong influence on the Luce character. I have no doubt that I will read this book again, more than the once. Is that a recommendation? Yes it is.
Ray Smillie
Ray Smillie
May 24, 2018
Incredible
I can't stop thinking about this book. You so want it to be real. I wish I knew Luce. It's truly amazing. I Love the previous 2 books, but this! This is something different all together. I think I need to let it all settle in, then read it again very soon. It's wonderful. There may have been some tears at the end. L R Fredericks mentions Bowie in her Acknowledgements. I love him. I think he would have loved this book. And also this author. What a strange review I have just written. But that's okay.
I can't stop thinking about this book. You so want it to be real. I wish I knew Luce. It's truly amazing. I Love the previous 2 books, but this! This is something different all together. I think I need to let it all settle in, then read it again very soon. It's wonderful. There may have been some tears at the end. L R Fredericks mentions Bowie in her Acknowledgements. I love him. I think he would have loved this book. And also this author. What a strange review I have just written. But that's okay.
March 1, 2021
what i can't work out is if l.r. fredericks think her narrator here is a cool guy, or a mega dummy? to me he seems pathetic, absolutely no self awareness, believes himself to be the protagonist in every story, a selfish dumb dumb who bought his own hype. and some of his actions make you think that fredericks thinks that too, but he still gets everything he wants, actually is the main character in the story and everything hinged around him all along.
this would have been much a much better book if luce really hated 'the scribe'.
this would have been much a much better book if luce really hated 'the scribe'.
November 21, 2021
I'm not sure if I love this book or I hate this book. The first, maybe 100 pages, was certainly hard. I was so confused. I picked up this book not knowing anything about the author so I didn't know what to expect. There were times when it was just so hard to keep on reading even I fell asleep multiple times while reading it. But after a while I got the hang of it. I was still lost at some parts of the book but I enjoyed it most of the times. The long winded story is worth it in the end. This book is clearly not an easy read but still beautiful.
August 25, 2017
Thank you Goodreads for sending me this book. I found this book difficult to get into, but I did stick with it. The book starts with an obsession at a gig and the quest is to find out who Luce is and so the journey begins. It is a huge historical novel. The descriptions of the 18th Century are amazing, from the cities themselves, to the basic daily living, clothing and food. I don’t think this book is for everyone, but it is fast paced. I you do want to read it, I think you will enjoy it.
August 13, 2017
Thanks Hodder & Stoughton and netgalley for this ARC.
I like this book in the series, but I kinda missed the old historical theme of the previous ones. This book is just as trippy, unusual, and shocking.
I like this book in the series, but I kinda missed the old historical theme of the previous ones. This book is just as trippy, unusual, and shocking.
August 9, 2017
I have no idea what this book is about & could not find anything interesting about it.
Gave up trying to sort it out, after a few pages.
Gave up trying to sort it out, after a few pages.
August 20, 2017
Excellent read. Highly recommended.
August 24, 2017
This was a tremendous journey! Highly recommended, although may not appeal to all and sundry...
September 28, 2017
Unfortunately, I just could not get interested in this book and gave up after a couple of chapters. However, the book is well written and other people may well enjoy it immensely.
September 23, 2018
This is book is well written and I can see why it got so many good reviews. I rated two stars, however of note I think the problem was more me than the book itself. It just didn’t click!
June 8, 2017
This is not an easy book to review, but it was to read! The story contains many sub-stories an a lot of characters, but never once did either one bother me. I appreciate the pace of this book, allowing all of the characters to tell a part of the story of Luce. Such as the Scribe, the journalist who wrote this all down, including one's own experiences of life:
'I should have thought of that before, but Seroxat makes one stupid and accepting, too stupid and accepting to see how stupid it is to be so accepting.' (95%)
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book
'I should have thought of that before, but Seroxat makes one stupid and accepting, too stupid and accepting to see how stupid it is to be so accepting.' (95%)
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book
April 5, 2018
In this, the third in the author’s ‘Time and light’ series we enter, once again, a world in which all is not as, on the surface, it seems: well, at least to those of us without the benefit of those ‘abilities’ required to perceive it. Our enigmatic guide through this world is of uncertain sex and has no name: other than the non-de-plume, Chimera Obscura, a name, which, unsurprisingly, in the context of the novel, has several connotations: for example, at least one of the forms of biological (as opposed to mythological) chimera, of which there are several, can have both male and female organs. (S)he ostensibly is a writer/journalist who’s, seemingly, chance encounter with a mysterious being, at a party in the grounds of an equally mysterious country house, when an undergraduate at Oxford, shapes the rest of her life.
The mysterious being in question is the eponymous Luce, once again, of indeterminate gender and indefinite name, Luce being only one of a whole series of praenomina, assumed at the time s(he) was the lead singer of cult band, The Photons. I see some reviewers have mentioned David Bowie, in conjunction with Luce and, indeed, Fredericks does acknowledge his influence on her ‘art and life’. However, although understandable, I think, it wasn’t he who flitted through my subconscious when encountering Luce, but rather David Sylvian, particularly as Japan – the country – has a significant part to play in Obscura’s quest for the whereabouts and truth of Luce, after s(he) disappears from Obscura’s life as quickly and mysteriously s(he) entered it.
Thus, the book is about a quest undertaken and the narrative that describes it, which is almost like the quest for Obscura’s personal ‘Holy Grail’, the embodiment of which is Luce in all her/his various guises. Each chapter deals with, either an appearance by Luce, or Obscura’s frustrated search for her, and in this sense the book is a typical ‘road’ novel as Obscura crosses the globe, this way and that, between the ‘summer of love’ year, 1967, and 1974. Interspersed between each of these episodic narrative chunks, there are chapters set in the ‘now’, which deal with Obscura’s current life, but also allow for a retrospective reflection on the events of the past.
We are finally, brought full circle in terms of the trilogy, if indeed it remains so; there is room for doubt as there seems to be a hint – and I can’t remember how, where or when I heard it – that Fredericks may bring Luce ‘back to life’. After waiting so long for this novel to appear I cannot say that it has satisfied me in terms of a resolution: at times I found it a bit ‘twee’, a bit too ‘new agey’ and, therefore, for me, very mildly irritating. However, having been around at the time of Luce’s first incarnation, with the Photons, it was a nice bit of nostalgia and I found satisfying overlaps with some of my other literary interests; Haruki Murakami, Colin Wilson and Claude Houghton whose rediscovered masterpiece, ‘I am Jonathan Scrivener’, I can thoroughly, and with confidence, recommend to anyone who has enjoyed The Book of Luce.
As always, with Fredericks, the writing is masterful but the reservations mentioned above prevent me from awarding it the full five stars!
The mysterious being in question is the eponymous Luce, once again, of indeterminate gender and indefinite name, Luce being only one of a whole series of praenomina, assumed at the time s(he) was the lead singer of cult band, The Photons. I see some reviewers have mentioned David Bowie, in conjunction with Luce and, indeed, Fredericks does acknowledge his influence on her ‘art and life’. However, although understandable, I think, it wasn’t he who flitted through my subconscious when encountering Luce, but rather David Sylvian, particularly as Japan – the country – has a significant part to play in Obscura’s quest for the whereabouts and truth of Luce, after s(he) disappears from Obscura’s life as quickly and mysteriously s(he) entered it.
Thus, the book is about a quest undertaken and the narrative that describes it, which is almost like the quest for Obscura’s personal ‘Holy Grail’, the embodiment of which is Luce in all her/his various guises. Each chapter deals with, either an appearance by Luce, or Obscura’s frustrated search for her, and in this sense the book is a typical ‘road’ novel as Obscura crosses the globe, this way and that, between the ‘summer of love’ year, 1967, and 1974. Interspersed between each of these episodic narrative chunks, there are chapters set in the ‘now’, which deal with Obscura’s current life, but also allow for a retrospective reflection on the events of the past.
We are finally, brought full circle in terms of the trilogy, if indeed it remains so; there is room for doubt as there seems to be a hint – and I can’t remember how, where or when I heard it – that Fredericks may bring Luce ‘back to life’. After waiting so long for this novel to appear I cannot say that it has satisfied me in terms of a resolution: at times I found it a bit ‘twee’, a bit too ‘new agey’ and, therefore, for me, very mildly irritating. However, having been around at the time of Luce’s first incarnation, with the Photons, it was a nice bit of nostalgia and I found satisfying overlaps with some of my other literary interests; Haruki Murakami, Colin Wilson and Claude Houghton whose rediscovered masterpiece, ‘I am Jonathan Scrivener’, I can thoroughly, and with confidence, recommend to anyone who has enjoyed The Book of Luce.
As always, with Fredericks, the writing is masterful but the reservations mentioned above prevent me from awarding it the full five stars!
May 12, 2018
amazing
August 29, 2017
looking forward to reading it. Thank you for my win x
September 7, 2017
(Goodreads Giveaway). I wouldn't have read this book if I haven't of won it but I'm glad I did. Such a weird story but very well written and I didn't really want to put it down at any point. It did get a little confusing at times with different names for so many characters but you still get the general gist of it. Written as if it's a non-fic book (kind of) it still reads very well on the small non-story points. I don't know what I would have thought if I had had expectations of the book so if you do read, try not to expect anything!
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