Harryroolaart.com Heart of the Pagan Review

Harryroolaart.com Heart of the Pagan Review

Posted on Monday 07 October @ 15:49:28 Posted on Monday 07 October @ 15:49:28

[HARRYROOLAART.COM] Heart Of A Pagan*****, a first novel by author Andrew Bernstein currently stands at the top of our "must read" booklist. Dr. Bernstein writes heroic fiction, teaches philosophy at Pace University, and lectures at colleges around the country, including Harvard, Stanford, and Chicago. Dr. Bernstein is an adjunct professor of philosophy at SUNY Purchase and at Concordia College in Bronxville, NY.

No naturalist, no modernist, Dr. Bernstein in writing of Swoop, the story's hero, does not uphold pain, suffering, despair, nor the depravity of man, infamously depicted and glorified in most modern-day novels. Dr. Bernstein's hero does not accept today's definitions. Swoop does not rise from victim-status into normalcy, content to be revered for his so-called "heroic" rise to normalcy. That is what we would expect from a naturalist, a modernist, or any of the hundreds of authors lining today's bookshelves. Heart Of A Pagan is a very different novel. It is a story that qualifies itself by introducing its hero as already prodigious while concluding it with his ascension to God-like status. When Dr. Bernstein says "heroic", he means it.

The story begins when Swoop, a basketball prodigy, descends upon the Bible-thumping community of Hoppo Valley and promises "to take this squad to the top". The words flow like elixer from the young man' s mouth. The town, located in a "basketball-crazed" state, welcomes and reveres Swoop, the gleam of the National Title flashing through their frenzied minds.

It is only when the town learns the meaning of his words that troubles begin to surface. The concretization of the Greek ideal, Swoop is a proud and virtuous young hero, who like the Athenian Pagan Hero, "seeks greatness, not through prostration and humility, but through productivity and heroism on the most holy temple on earth: the basketball court". Refusing to surround himself with the self-debasement and self-sacrificial attitudes promoted by the town's leading clerics, Swoop does not stop at the perimeter of the court, but means to include the entire valley in his definition of "squad."

This leads to fundamental conflicts with dangerous consequences for this young hero. Pitting himself against formidable foes on the basketball courts, as well as the town's religionists, Swoop fights not just for the National Title, but for the soul of Hoppo Valley.

Above all, this is a story about essences. You will walk away from this novel believing yourself capable of heroic acts. This novel inspires one to great struggles, steadfastness, integrity, efficacy beyond what you might believe possible.

But, if you're looking for a novel that gives you a character that "fundamentally changes" as a result of the events of the story, forget it. Dr. Bernstein refuses to give it to you. "Swoop before" and "Swoop after" remain the same. If you're looking for a novel that includes descriptions of Coke cans, tampons, or other irrelevant facts in order to make you believe the events are real, then don't read his book. Dr. Bernstein strikes at the essence of religion, the essense of rational heroism, the essence of spectator sports, the essence of valuing life. That is his job, as an author. And he does it by concentrating on what is essential, and not on what is useless.

There is little we care to complain about, with this novel. We would liked to have seen a book jacket (for those of us who are book collectors) and in all fairness, it does seem that one is coming as there is a contest on for the cover.

Harryroolaart.com is proud to give this book a 5 (out of 5) star***** rating.

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Harry

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