Review of The Entrant, by Joseph Martin
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Review of The Entrant, by Joseph Martin
In The Entrant, Joseph Martin presents a refreshingly more sophisticated literary style than what is normally targeted for the mainstream readership, and is ultimately worth any accommodating stretch that one (high-schoolers, for example) may have to exercise in order to grasp and rightly appreciate its significance. It’s as if, in order to articulate some types of inherently august subject matter, it would not be meet to try to fit or force the dimensions of them into merely simplistic expressions. No; given the limitless range of the treated material, a kindred, or compatibly limitless “no holds barred” literary style had to be invoked, and then likewise, one that would not be wanting in former-times-suggestive classical eloquence.
And thankfully, the plot itself is no less a match for the diction that carries it, inviting discussion about another pleasing symbiosis, one of an even higher synergy that would indeed convey such a finally fulfilled form of literary alchemy, aglow as it is with mystical properties to proportionally, vicariously, and thus effectively inspirit the perhaps formerly mere normal, but now, by the end of such intake, suitably “antidoted” new reader. My own such subjective dabbling here is intended to be crudely suggestive of some of The Entrant’s subjective elements; its generalizations and abstractions are, I suppose, intended as a means to convey the inspirational potentials and levels of the work’s transcendent capacity, whereas the following, more concrete observations, may serve to objectify and thus more readily legitimize such impressions I’m offering.
I will begin this phase of the response by examining one of the work’s noteworthy topical themes that offers opportunities for reflection about the analogical mirror qualities of life that are, according to Joseph Martin’s infused literary theory, inclusive of the juxtapositional value of such qualities (i.e., similar to the perceptions availed by an actual mirror—accuracy and reversal). Through the utilization of various universally experienced examples of these analogical and juxtapositional phenomena, Joseph Martin hits at basal instincts of the quintessentially carnal human state—among such instincts, for my choice point here, and to serve as a template for how so many other qualities of the work may demonstrate such depth of suggestion: lust.
But it should also be emphasized that the literary craft in which context and content are treated, bodes not in the vein of traditional sermonizing. Such literary presence, rather, emerges as mere (but unmissed) circumstantial details of the greater plot structure, effectively reasserting the evocative and self-analytical potentials of the whole “fiction” medium, potentially declaring inductively within the reader those ubiquitous forks in the road ahead. One path, extending further into the direction where one’s life has always been headed, and the other path availing a better-version-of-self possibility, and markedly, a chosen path that does not stem from the intimated exterior force of indoctrination that would, through such manipulation, cause only a so-called “transformation,” but a transformation “garanti d’ origine,” born of the candid mirrored self, given such an entity’s own unmasked recognition of necessity. The role of juxtaposition upon this element of the human design bolsters Joseph Martin’s featured principle that “The structure of dislocation may help one to see what location is,” as shall also be expounded upon here.
To the character Sibahl’s unresisted need to declare Mary’s beauty, she rejoins, “…thank you for the compliment, Sibahl, but we don’t have a whole lot of control over what earth-suits our inner-personalities are assigned, and so, isn’t the perception of beauty really just a metaphor for the goodness and grace of God?” This is a version of the aforementioned juxtaposition phenomena in action, reversing, turning around a common situation into something more pleasingly rare. This essential derailment of “a stereotypical male line” does not arise from such a compatible plane that could inspire response in limitless ways contrary to how Mary spoke. Thus, an example of a higher pathway is offered. Sibahl’s dislocation, through his role here as the universal male, is troped by Mary, a presence that constitutes a “location” to be sought after.
But, resistant at first, and responding in a defensive mode to this apparent relationship that Mary has, Sibahl ventures out further, and most directly, to bring greater test to this vision of feminine goodness, “OK, Mary, are you a virgin?” The dialogue of the story continues:
“And then as if to speak to the world, gazing as she did so unveeringly upon the full expanse of the sea before her, ‘Sibahl, do you believe that one can, in some way, perhaps, be a metaphor for the goodness and grace of God both in terms of one’s appearance and behavior?’”
“Well…I think that the most attractive-looking ladies are subject to a greater potential for incidences of temptation.”
“Temptation isn’t sin.”
And thus, again, the perspective that juxtaposition affords is underscored. Truly, does any individual non-self-righteously speak from the position of one who has overcome the fallen nature that would otherwise display a template for the whole human dilemma? If so, such a one might posit, as Joseph Martin has, that “The Lord, in this mode of graciousness, to extend to us all forms of pleasure, and thus responding in his foreknowledge to our yearning about ways to express greater love for him, even while we would yet be upon the cursed Earth, accommodated us, for example, by way of the present multifold vehicles, that we may nevertheless deny ourselves such things that would otherwise, except for the presence and influence of his spirit, be irresistible forms of temptation, all that we may be so effectively fulfilled with these clear avenues of opportunity toward his heart.” How absurd, to even be exposed to the notion that this feature of our design could be prevailed upon, and not by some disingenuous or paranoid denial, but soundly, by taking to heart the possibility of such prevalence that the tale goes on to share:
“And such lusting is analogically worse than if my first inclination, when seeing such a woman who was understatedly ‘fair to look upon,’ would be to immediately cause her some very direct physical harm, for, the potential spiritual damage to a female who was receptive to such inappropriate flirtatiousness would be the far worse injury. So, since the last thing on my mind when seeing such a beauty would be to bring such or any harm to her, it became understood that my former behavior was all-the-more ridiculous, to indeed so thoroughly and selfishly assault and infect her very soul by remaining a carrier and thus an imparter of such contagion…and what would become of one who would nevertheless continue to commit such assaulting and infecting even after having been so instructed?”
It was with intentionality that I chose to respond about The Entrant, firstly, in the vein of exploring a limited “topical theme” sample, and secondly, that the response would be received as a template for how so many other aspects of the work may be appreciated. And lest one think that I responded about a book that isn’t actually of the fantasy/sci-fi type, I assure you that it is of that genre. I chose to respond as I did to offer a thankful report of something more special that is weaved into the story, and it is also one of the ways I could share some of the work’s qualities without revealing much content and thereby potentially depriving some of the virgin pleasure that a first read of a book like this avails.
And thankfully, the plot itself is no less a match for the diction that carries it, inviting discussion about another pleasing symbiosis, one of an even higher synergy that would indeed convey such a finally fulfilled form of literary alchemy, aglow as it is with mystical properties to proportionally, vicariously, and thus effectively inspirit the perhaps formerly mere normal, but now, by the end of such intake, suitably “antidoted” new reader. My own such subjective dabbling here is intended to be crudely suggestive of some of The Entrant’s subjective elements; its generalizations and abstractions are, I suppose, intended as a means to convey the inspirational potentials and levels of the work’s transcendent capacity, whereas the following, more concrete observations, may serve to objectify and thus more readily legitimize such impressions I’m offering.
I will begin this phase of the response by examining one of the work’s noteworthy topical themes that offers opportunities for reflection about the analogical mirror qualities of life that are, according to Joseph Martin’s infused literary theory, inclusive of the juxtapositional value of such qualities (i.e., similar to the perceptions availed by an actual mirror—accuracy and reversal). Through the utilization of various universally experienced examples of these analogical and juxtapositional phenomena, Joseph Martin hits at basal instincts of the quintessentially carnal human state—among such instincts, for my choice point here, and to serve as a template for how so many other qualities of the work may demonstrate such depth of suggestion: lust.
But it should also be emphasized that the literary craft in which context and content are treated, bodes not in the vein of traditional sermonizing. Such literary presence, rather, emerges as mere (but unmissed) circumstantial details of the greater plot structure, effectively reasserting the evocative and self-analytical potentials of the whole “fiction” medium, potentially declaring inductively within the reader those ubiquitous forks in the road ahead. One path, extending further into the direction where one’s life has always been headed, and the other path availing a better-version-of-self possibility, and markedly, a chosen path that does not stem from the intimated exterior force of indoctrination that would, through such manipulation, cause only a so-called “transformation,” but a transformation “garanti d’ origine,” born of the candid mirrored self, given such an entity’s own unmasked recognition of necessity. The role of juxtaposition upon this element of the human design bolsters Joseph Martin’s featured principle that “The structure of dislocation may help one to see what location is,” as shall also be expounded upon here.
To the character Sibahl’s unresisted need to declare Mary’s beauty, she rejoins, “…thank you for the compliment, Sibahl, but we don’t have a whole lot of control over what earth-suits our inner-personalities are assigned, and so, isn’t the perception of beauty really just a metaphor for the goodness and grace of God?” This is a version of the aforementioned juxtaposition phenomena in action, reversing, turning around a common situation into something more pleasingly rare. This essential derailment of “a stereotypical male line” does not arise from such a compatible plane that could inspire response in limitless ways contrary to how Mary spoke. Thus, an example of a higher pathway is offered. Sibahl’s dislocation, through his role here as the universal male, is troped by Mary, a presence that constitutes a “location” to be sought after.
But, resistant at first, and responding in a defensive mode to this apparent relationship that Mary has, Sibahl ventures out further, and most directly, to bring greater test to this vision of feminine goodness, “OK, Mary, are you a virgin?” The dialogue of the story continues:
“And then as if to speak to the world, gazing as she did so unveeringly upon the full expanse of the sea before her, ‘Sibahl, do you believe that one can, in some way, perhaps, be a metaphor for the goodness and grace of God both in terms of one’s appearance and behavior?’”
“Well…I think that the most attractive-looking ladies are subject to a greater potential for incidences of temptation.”
“Temptation isn’t sin.”
And thus, again, the perspective that juxtaposition affords is underscored. Truly, does any individual non-self-righteously speak from the position of one who has overcome the fallen nature that would otherwise display a template for the whole human dilemma? If so, such a one might posit, as Joseph Martin has, that “The Lord, in this mode of graciousness, to extend to us all forms of pleasure, and thus responding in his foreknowledge to our yearning about ways to express greater love for him, even while we would yet be upon the cursed Earth, accommodated us, for example, by way of the present multifold vehicles, that we may nevertheless deny ourselves such things that would otherwise, except for the presence and influence of his spirit, be irresistible forms of temptation, all that we may be so effectively fulfilled with these clear avenues of opportunity toward his heart.” How absurd, to even be exposed to the notion that this feature of our design could be prevailed upon, and not by some disingenuous or paranoid denial, but soundly, by taking to heart the possibility of such prevalence that the tale goes on to share:
“And such lusting is analogically worse than if my first inclination, when seeing such a woman who was understatedly ‘fair to look upon,’ would be to immediately cause her some very direct physical harm, for, the potential spiritual damage to a female who was receptive to such inappropriate flirtatiousness would be the far worse injury. So, since the last thing on my mind when seeing such a beauty would be to bring such or any harm to her, it became understood that my former behavior was all-the-more ridiculous, to indeed so thoroughly and selfishly assault and infect her very soul by remaining a carrier and thus an imparter of such contagion…and what would become of one who would nevertheless continue to commit such assaulting and infecting even after having been so instructed?”
It was with intentionality that I chose to respond about The Entrant, firstly, in the vein of exploring a limited “topical theme” sample, and secondly, that the response would be received as a template for how so many other aspects of the work may be appreciated. And lest one think that I responded about a book that isn’t actually of the fantasy/sci-fi type, I assure you that it is of that genre. I chose to respond as I did to offer a thankful report of something more special that is weaved into the story, and it is also one of the ways I could share some of the work’s qualities without revealing much content and thereby potentially depriving some of the virgin pleasure that a first read of a book like this avails.
