All the Galaxies

Philip Miller is both an accomplished storyteller and philosopher in All the Galaxies. This dynamic novel engages the reader on many levels, from its foundation of masterfully drawn, evocative prose to the metaphysical questions raised as the narrative unfolds. We’re witness as John Fallon struggles to find his son, Roland, as a dystopian society, fragmented Glasgow as a backdrop, rages around him. Meanwhile, Roland, guided by his childhood dog Kim, is coping with his own transcendental journey as he faces death and a voyage through the galaxies to find his mother. All the Galaxies is worth your time. It will warm your heart, challenge your preconceived notions, and make you hope that Phillip Miller is hard at work on his third novel.

He had the shape of a memory, but it was pale, uncolored.

This is a hard novel to describe because it is Sci-Fi, mystical, but with an oppressive world thrown in, full of the sort of questions we ask ourselves hoping for and fearing the answers. The questions that swallow us, life and death and everything gooey in between. It is apocalyptic and dark, but I loved the father/son story. John Fallon is a single father, a journalist, miserable. Scotland has fallen apart, those taking charge are corrupt, the future of Scotland , separated into states, looks bleak. Fallon’s son Roland has gone missing after student protests against the police have soured and become violent. Parallel to their story, a boy and his dog (spirit guide) traverse the universe, the afterlife looking for his mother. Is he real? How does the story of the young boy and his dog tie into the father/son? When do journeys begin and end? What do we understand of the world and each other?

It’s about a father’s failure in relation to his son, as much as the world around him is falling, failing. It’s about so much that I can’t even find the words to describe it. It engages the reader, leaving you a bit numb wondering about life, meaning. Time controls so much, we make so many mistakes with our loved ones. Can love traverse chaos, corruption, galaxies, time or death? This was sadder than I expected when I got to the end. It seems nothing is solid here, and what you think you know and understand shifts. Perfect for readers who like to question the universe and every creature inside and outside of it. While it is Sci-Fi there is a supernatural flavoring too.
Lovely.

Publication Date: April 6, 2o17

Freight Books

Some time in the near future, after another failed referendum on independence, Scotland is torn apart by seemingly senseless violence. Meanwhile, a boy finds himself exploring the planets of the dead in his own post-life body, with his faithful childhood dog companion at his side.

"All The Galaxies" defies genre distinctions. It's one part gritty thriller, set against the backdrop of Glasgow and Edinburgh, kind of like a futuristic Ian Rankin novel. And then it's another part the story of a failed marriage and adult (self) disillusionment and disappointment, and a third part a gloriously surreal young adult fantasy tale interwoven with themes and imagery taken from the Gospels and Revelation, somehow reminiscent of "A Wrinkle in Time" and the books in that series.

Which is not to say that this is a story for children. The writing style is dense and poetic, so that, while it's a short book, it's not necessarily a quick read. This is not a criticism, but rather a notice that readers should not jump into this book thinking it will be a quick evening's entertainment. Although the book is full of brilliant imagery and sharply delineated characters, the complex plot and the intensely literary style demand the reader's full attention. Readers looking for light and fluffy escapism should steer themselves elsewhere. However, for readers looking for something a bit different, something that will provide a tough, chewy, and memorable reading experience, "All The Galaxies" may be just what they are looking for.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

This was a dark and depressing novel, yet so captivating in all its complexity. There were so many interesting intermingling storylines, from the past, today and the future, all in the same time. The today storywise wasn't our real present day, more like an alternate reality, so it made the reading comprehension all the more difficult. At times it was hard to grasp what's going on and when, but I didn't want to stop reading. Setting descriptions and characters were written beautifully. Their hurt, insecurities and overall despair were palpable. The mystery and its solving were equally interesting part of the story, although I wish the ending did not require so much of my own imagination to complete the puzzle. In the whole, this certainly isn't a book for everyone. It requires thinking and not so a happy-go-lucky attitude because you won't get far with it if you aren't in a mood. I believe fans of horror and science fiction would like it.