The Philosphers Flight by Tom Miller.
"A thrilling debut from ER doctor turned novelist Tom Miller, The Philosopher’s Flight is an epic historical fantasy set in a World-War-I-era America where magic and science have blended into a single extraordinary art. “Like his characters, Tom Miller casts a spell.” (Matthew Pearl, author of The Dante Club and The Last Bookaneer)"
Spoilers Ahoy....
I was hesitant at first while reading it. It is, at its most basic level, a gender swap of the biological beliefs that men are better than women. In the book men are discouraged from certain aspects of Empirical Philosophy (magic use in the book,) simply because according to biology, men are just crap at it. Robert fights tooth and nail to prove that he belongs in Radcliffe where Empirical Philosophy is taught in a college setting. While gender politics is the crux of the novel, where even though women in Empirical Philosophy take a dim view of men in their field, men in society as a whole take a very dim view of Empirical Philosophers. With all of the hurdles Robert faces, the book is very clear that the women have it worse. They face constant death threats, and the idea that even simple knack, and basic skill of philosophical prowess takes you to the front lines of World War I. Women are accosted in the street by men and women known as Trenchers who see Empirical Philosophy as being against the will of God.
Robert is placed in relation to his perceived skill level relative to the women around him. His mother, his sisters and his college comrades and professors. He doesn't truly believe he is a gifted Philosopher until he is told so by other women, yet he still faces constant harassment from other students.
The book has decent pacing, but I am hoping that there is going to be more books in the future. It ends on a pseudo cliffhanger. The story itself is resolved, as is the current problems his family and friends currently face, yet there is hints at a larger war that leads to Empirical Philosophy being banned outright in the United Sates in the prologue, and it is not dealt with in the novel. The novel deals with the slow evolution of the government trying to limit and control philosophy, which gives the hints that the banning of Empirical Philosophy is inevitable.
I found the story to be gripping, as I continued to read to see how Robert would fix the newest mess he landed in. He seems to get in a lot of trouble. Once he reached Radcliffe the story catapulted into political unrest and violence against the women around him.
"A thrilling debut from ER doctor turned novelist Tom Miller, The Philosopher’s Flight is an epic historical fantasy set in a World-War-I-era America where magic and science have blended into a single extraordinary art. “Like his characters, Tom Miller casts a spell.” (Matthew Pearl, author of The Dante Club and The Last Bookaneer)"
Spoilers Ahoy....
I was hesitant at first while reading it. It is, at its most basic level, a gender swap of the biological beliefs that men are better than women. In the book men are discouraged from certain aspects of Empirical Philosophy (magic use in the book,) simply because according to biology, men are just crap at it. Robert fights tooth and nail to prove that he belongs in Radcliffe where Empirical Philosophy is taught in a college setting. While gender politics is the crux of the novel, where even though women in Empirical Philosophy take a dim view of men in their field, men in society as a whole take a very dim view of Empirical Philosophers. With all of the hurdles Robert faces, the book is very clear that the women have it worse. They face constant death threats, and the idea that even simple knack, and basic skill of philosophical prowess takes you to the front lines of World War I. Women are accosted in the street by men and women known as Trenchers who see Empirical Philosophy as being against the will of God.
Robert is placed in relation to his perceived skill level relative to the women around him. His mother, his sisters and his college comrades and professors. He doesn't truly believe he is a gifted Philosopher until he is told so by other women, yet he still faces constant harassment from other students.
The book has decent pacing, but I am hoping that there is going to be more books in the future. It ends on a pseudo cliffhanger. The story itself is resolved, as is the current problems his family and friends currently face, yet there is hints at a larger war that leads to Empirical Philosophy being banned outright in the United Sates in the prologue, and it is not dealt with in the novel. The novel deals with the slow evolution of the government trying to limit and control philosophy, which gives the hints that the banning of Empirical Philosophy is inevitable.
I found the story to be gripping, as I continued to read to see how Robert would fix the newest mess he landed in. He seems to get in a lot of trouble. Once he reached Radcliffe the story catapulted into political unrest and violence against the women around him.
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