Now Immersing in the Big God Network

"J.C. McGowan's science-fiction debut blends the wry humor of Kurt Vonnegut with the cosmic scope of Carl Sagan and the edgy near-future scenarios of William Gibson. The novel explores the clash of culture and religion in cyberspace and post-America; the search for extraterrestrial intelligence and higher powers; and the socio-cultural impact of "virtual life" on our existence, as it takes us on an imaginative, breathless ride through Bali, Tokyo, California, and exotic virtual worlds that range from the fantasy realm of Nigh Errant to the erotic Yabyum Palace to the evangelical Church of the Good Citizen."

The Setting: Twenty years from now, the United States has fragmented into liberal Pacifica (the West Coast), theocratic New America (the heartland), and other new nations. Against this contentious political backdrop, Baba Ed, the leader of a wealthy UFO cult, seeks contact with extraterrestrial civilizations via the Channel, a breakthrough communications interface with a high “AIQ” that renders the most secure system vulnerable, and threatens the new balance of power. A dystopic New America ruled by evangelicals hopes to bring Pacifica back into the fold, and the Channel may offer the means to subdue the “secular” region. Or to protect it, if the book’s hero Franz Sampaio is successful in his quest.

Access BGN here:

The Big God Network (at Amazon.com)

The Big God Network (at Amazon U.K.)
The Big God Network (at Amazon Canada)

Reviews:

“Finally a new satirical post-cyberpunk SF voice with elements of William Gibson, Neal Stephenson and the likes but with the added dimensions of Tom Robbins.’’ –Grant Garden, Amazon U.K.

"The Big God Network reveals a unique alternative vision of the future, with richly portrayed characters and well thought out scenarios that are both creative and intelligent....Anyone who enjoys William Gibson and knows even a little about religion or mythology will enjoy reading this book."--Gwendolyn Toynton in the online journal Primordial Traditions

"[McGowan's] extrapolation of current technological and societal trends is highly believable." --Rex Allen of Curled Up With A Good Book

“Funny, political and visionary...the novel references ideas familiar to readers of scientist-authors like Michio Kaku. It is downright rhapsodic about the universe.”—J. Emilio Rondeau, The Mars Quarterly

"A masterpiece tale of techno sci-fi [and] political-cultural-economic commentary...incredibly funny, sardonic, visionary, and well-written." --Nomi M. Prins, author of Jacked: How 'Conservatives' Are Picking Your Pocket

“One of the most original things I have read.” –Patrick Barrett, author of Shakespeare’s Cuthbert

“Interesting and entertaining.…insightful political commentary”--Mike Brotherton, astrophysicist & author

“The story is a romp, jumping back and forth from Bali to Japan to California, and it is fun...But there is an aspect to this first novel of J.C. McGowan which lifts it above the mere level of comedy and elevates it to true social commentary.” --Marc Ladewig, author of Odysseus: The Epic Myth of the Hero

“It is written in an extremely tight, quickly intercut cinematic style that is new and refreshing…As in any great work by Vonnegut, Heinlein, or Leven…multiple plotlines gradually merge up until the stunning conclusion, when the characters come together in a grand Fellini-style finale of both mayhem and resolution. The author must have used a complex flowchart in order to make sense of his many narrative threads, and yet, for the reader, the flow is smooth and effortless."--Dr. Reeves Medaglia-Miller, Media Studies professor at George Brown College/Ryerson University, Toronto

"J.C. McGowan takes the cultural wars going on in the USA today to their logical conclusion...it's also a real page-turner, with a nice sci-fi mystery, and it's very funny. The purple passages of randy (but virtual) sexual encounters had me hooting. Everything is gloriously over the top here, but the author just gleefully glides you along, and his subtle comic barbs just get sharper."--Baz, Amazon.com

"McGowan's excellent debut sci-fi novel is a good take on the concept of self -awareness on the net, mixed with the depressing specter of End-timers running the government. He keeps it light with very aptly named products and corporate mergers of the future. The line between reality and virtual worlds is convincingly blurred as the story unfolds and the action is well written and fast paced."--Brian Keith, Amazon.com

"A fascinating future world that resonates nicely with the one we share today. Things like the Samsung-Maserati ZX economically conjure a whole history of economic and technological change, as does the option of paying in Reagans or euros. “Netsick” makes a worthy neologism, and “hijacking someone’s reality” conveys worlds."--Colin Piprell, author of MOM

"Great dialogue, colourful characters and a compelling plot."--Janvier, author of Flash of the Sun

Fans of the cyberpunk masters, such as William Gibson and Bruce Sterling, will be right at home here."--Celtoid9 at Amazon.com

"It's out there, yeah...and it rocks...[the] writing is absolutely wonderful."--Eden Tyler, author of The Abandoned Edge of Avalon

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