No Less Days
In the engaging speculative Christian novel No Less Days, an immortal man grapples with his faith.
David Galloway is close to death when a well-meaning doctor injects him with a serum that grants him seeming immortality. David lives the next few decades in relative isolation, working as a bookseller.
Everything changes when a daredevil celebrity survives an accident that should have been fatal—an incident that puts David in touch with a group of immortals. They have a secret that challenges his unwavering faith.
The disparity between David’s gift (or curse) of immortality and his simple life as a bookseller serves not only as his driving force, but also as an important pivot point for the story. He is pushed in unexpected ways by his sudden shift from thinking of himself as the only immortal to becoming a member of an ersatz family.
From the daredevil to David’s moral assistant, characters all rely on strong foundations of morality and ethics that require living by their religions’ codes. Faith itself is nearly personified. Dark issues arise in the text, and conflicts between doing what needs to be done and doing what’s actually right are compelling.
The writing flows beautifully and benefits from careful exposition. A key example is a troubled member of the immortal family, Colm. Colm’s life mirrors David’s, but twists into darkness and violence. While Colm’s off-balance nature haunts the family, it also drives David to contemplative action.
There are some minor plot issues, as when a character who provides major revelations disappears without clear resolution. The revelations suggest interesting complications for David and the immortals, so the lack of closure stands out.
No Less Days examines the importance of faith in trying times with an intriguing speculative fiction twist. It’s a rewarding novel that leaves space for contemplation.
Reviewed by
John M. Murray
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