“The Book of Samson”
by David Maine
Published: October 2007
ISBN: 0312353383

(Updated: April 14, 2008.)

From the Publisher…

From the author of the acclaimed and provocative novels Fallen and The Preservationist comes a tale about a man who believes he is touched by the hand of God—-and instructed by that God to slaughter his enemies. Told with crackling wit and black humor, this is the story of ‘this worldly existence of men brutes desire unkindness’ and of the woman, the deadly and alluring Dalila, who figures at the center of it all. It’s a story you think you know, but soon you will leave your preconceived notions at the door. In The Book of Samson, David Maine has created an unforgettable portrait, a unique and astonishing masterpiece that shows the human side of a previously faceless icon.

Having read both The Preservationist and Fallen, I looked foward to discovering whatever it was that sparked Maine’s interest in the story of Samson (yes, beyond the obvious). And, now that I have finished reading it, I look forward to seeing how Maine’s telling reveals itself over time.

I do think that this latter is the magic of Maine’s writing. He takes a well known story and writes it a way that makes it impossible to not get that all tellings are stories. Including ones that often are carried as unquestioned “beliefs”. This book was no exception.

Slightly reminiscent to me of “Pulp Fiction” or “Falling Down”, The Book of Samson moves violence into the realm of breathing. By this I mean that the violence is so secondary to the point of it all — according to the story that is being told — that it, through this, becomes exactly the point. And, for an unawareness that is so prevelant in our culture and society, successfully making this point is quite a feat.

I give this book a three out of five hearts on my scale. I do this not because I don’t think it’s worth reading but because I feel that it was a one punch novel. Maybe time will reveal this to not be the case but for the moment it is.

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