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Mindlings: Adventures within Inner Space by Normand R. Bernier Hats Off Books
book review by Terry Lacy
"Our existence and destiny were intertwined. Is my image of God as distorted as their view of me? Are humans within their Creator, in the same way that mindlings are a part of humans?"
"We are such stuff as dreams are made on..." Mindlings: Encounters Within Inner Space is a trip into the surreal. Professor John Robis uses a machine to access his inner mind and finds a medieval world called Robisohm, filled with human-like beings called mindlings. Only a few of the mindlings know of the existence of humans, and as Robis soon learns, they are affected not only by the actions he takes, but his own life is affected by the actions of the mindlings. Result: His sanity hinges on the beings that live in his head.
The sparse and punchy language helps this novel carry its message. Never an exercise in loftiness, its simplistic style causes it to strike with the resonance of a drum, echoing in the reader's mind: Is this how God sees us?
One of the more interesting aspects of the story is The Castle of the Mind, the palace where the Sovereign resides, filled with the inner voices of Robis's life. From the castle guard who trusts no one to the fool who speaks too much, the voices of the characters make up the voices we all carry within ourselves. And yes, they talk to us.
Readers be warned: This book opens serious doors, and what lies on the other side may not be suitable for all audiences, but once the thought takes hold, it's difficult to release. Like a small summer shower, the ideas brought forth in this book have the potential to grow into a tempest.