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Paul Hoffman (3) (1953–)

Author of The Left Hand of God

For other authors named Paul Hoffman, see the disambiguation page.

6 Works 2,131 Members 88 Reviews

About the Author

Image credit: via author's website

Series

Works by Paul Hoffman

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Common Knowledge

Canonical name
Hoffman, Paul
Birthdate
1953-11-09
Gender
male
Nationality
UK
Education
Oxford University (New College)
Occupations
author
film censor

Members

Reviews

I read this some years ago and it left an impression. But... I can't remember how it ended because at the time the next one in the series was not available.. Have to steal it from my friend againto reread it again...
 
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Jonesy_now | 68 other reviews | Sep 24, 2021 |
The world is in a state of chaos. The war started by the Redeemers continues, their commitment to their mission unwavering despite the fact that Thomas Cale--their Angel of Death--has escaped again and gone into hiding. Broken and weak, Cale knows he cannot hide forever. Even as he tries to find a way to recover, he knows Pope Redeemer Bosco is hunting him, hoping to find him and use him for his intended purpose. Cale will need to decide whose side he is on and what he's capable of. Will he live out his destiny as destroyer of mankind or will he stand against the Sanctuary and try to save a people he knows are damned? And what will be the final cost?

Such a wonderful end to this trilogy and I'm still very glad that I came across these books in the first place. There are so many layers to the messages woven into these pages, and it is so much more than your typical post-apocalyptic, young adult, dystopian novel. The world that Paul Hoffman has created straddles the line between being so close to our own reality and so far from it so beautifully that you know you're being transported but you can so easily see the parallels that exist. This was probably the most challenging to read in the trilogy, largely because of the emotional investment in the characters and the levels of peril in which they find themselves with each continuing chapter.

I definitely give this book (and the whole series) a high recommendation.
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crtsjffrsn | 4 other reviews | Aug 27, 2021 |
I never would have found The Left Hand of God if I hadn't received it in a Goodreads giveaway. The Last Four Things, the second book in the trilogy, picks up right where the first book leaves off and we quickly learn Redeemder Bosco's plans for Thomas Cale - as fanatical and sinister as ever. There is more action in this second book - and occasionally the battle sequences are a bit of a struggle to follow - but there is also a great deal more background about the various groups of people that inhabit this world and the dynamics that are at play across factions. And, just as in the first book, there are some twists at the end that one likely won't expect. I'm definitely excited to get my hands on The Beating of His Wings to see how the story of Thomas Cale ends...… (more)
 
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crtsjffrsn | 10 other reviews | Aug 27, 2021 |
I received a copy of this book through the First Reads program on Goodreads.com. At first, I wasn't sure if I was going to like the book or really even what to expect after reading the short teaser description. I started off very intrigued and was quickly sucked into the world that Hoffman created for this first novel in a series.

I was worried that I wasn't going to like the book because the title and first couple of chapters made me worry that it was going to be religious fiction, which is not really my cup of tea. But as it turns out, the religious aspect is a catalyst to the story and instead it seems (from this first book at least) that it is more a criticism of blind religious zealotry (while also providing interesting critiques of other aspects of society as other groups of people are introduced).

This book definitely had all the elements that keep my attention: dystopian themes, a fantasy setting, conflicted characters, and, at times, a seemingly anti-hero protagonist. The setting is a timeless one, as many arguments could be made both for the idea that it is in the future and that it is set in the past - which really allowed me to set that question aside and just focus on the story.

The author's use of language to describe what is happening is excellent. He uses unique metaphors so I had little trouble understanding the tastes, smells, etc. of things that only exist in the world of this book. I also had no trouble vividly imagining the various battle scenes - while they aren't overly-described, the descriptions are just enough to get a clear picture without slowing down the action.

I would say I had a hard time putting down this book and the only reason it took me a week to read it was that I was busy and didn't have as much time to read as I would like. I definitely recommend to anyone who likes fantasy novels, especially with dystopian overtones.
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crtsjffrsn | 68 other reviews | Aug 27, 2021 |

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Statistics

Works
6
Members
2,131
Popularity
#12,081
Rating
½ 3.5
Reviews
88
ISBNs
173
Languages
17

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