Truth of the Divine: A Novel (Noumena, 2)

Product Description
USA TODAY BESTSELLERTruth of the Divine is the latest alternate-history first-contact novel in the Noumena series from the instant New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times bestselling author Lindsay Ellis. The human race is at a crossroads; we know that we are not alone, but details about the alien presence on Earth are still being withheld from the public. As the political climate grows more unstable, the world is forced to consider the ramifications of granting human rights to nonhuman persons. How do you define “person” in the first place? Cora Sabino not only serves as the full-time communication intermediary between the alien entity Ampersand and his government chaperones but also shares a mysterious bond with him that is both painful and intimate in ways neither of them could have anticipated. Despite this, Ampersand is still keen on keeping secrets, even from Cora, which backfires on them both when investigative journalist Kaveh Mazandarani, a close colleague of Cora’s unscrupulous estranged father, witnesses far more of Ampersand’s machinations than anyone was meant to see. Since Cora has no choice but to trust Kaveh, the two must work together to prove to a fearful world that intelligent, conscious beings should be considered persons, no matter how horrifying, powerful, or malicious they may seem. Making this case is hard enough when the public doesn’t know what it’s dealing with―and it will only become harder when a mysterious flash illuminates the sky, marking the arrival of an agent of chaos that will light an already-unstable world on fire.With a voice completely her own and more than a million YouTube subscribers, Lindsay Ellis deepens her realistic exploration of the reality of a planet faced with the presence of extraterrestrial intelligence, probing the essential questions of humanity and decency, and the boundaries of the human mind. While asking the question of what constitutes a “person,” Ellis also examines what makes a monster.
Review
Praise for Truth of the Divine:"Ellis continues to use her sharp, mid-2000s, first-contact series to delve into serious topics both personal and political." ―Booklist"Ellis draws skillful parallels between her science-fictional politics and real world issues, gracefully navigating the difficult topics of discrimination, violent extremism, mental health, and addiction. This thought-provoking novel will linger long in readers’ minds." ―Publishers Weekly (starred review)"The rare second book in a series that improves the first in hindsight, alternately thrilling and gut-wrenching, Truth of the Divine will put your expectations in its crosshairs and then nuke them from orbit. From aliens with inscrutable motives, to conniving bureaucrats and armed hate groups, you really get the sense that this is what a first contact scenario would actually look like. And I don't mean that in a good way." ―Jason Pargin, New York Times bestselling author of John Dies at the End"Everything about the book just works. Truth of the Divine is a must-read for all sci-fi fans, alien invasion fans, and lovers of Axiom’s End." ―Geek Vibes Nation"Truth of the Divine is a massive step forward for this series." ―PajibaPraise for Lindsay Ellis and Axiom's End:"Axiom's End is somehow deeply aware of not just what it is to be human, but what it is to be any intelligent species. It's as real as any first-contact story I have ever read. Wonderfully plotted and paced, the adventure never lets up, and neither does the insight." ―Hank Green, #1 New York Times bestselling author of An Absolutely Remarkable Thing"So much fun. Lindsay Ellis's experience as one of our sharpest cultural observers gives Axiom's End an edge of realism that makes it both cutting and compelling. Close encounters have a whole new look." ―John Scalzi, New York Times bestselling author and Hugo Award winner "Axiom's End is eerily plausible and wildly entertaining. An alternate history that