Father of Lies

by Brian Evenson

Book Overview

Provost Eldon Fochs may be a sexual criminal. His therapist isn't sure, and his church is determined to protect its reputation. Father of Lies is Brian Evenson's fable of power, paranoia, and the dangers of blind obedience, and a terrifying vision of how far institutions will go to protect themselves against the innocents who may be their victims.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1566894158
• ISBN13: 9781566894159
• Release Date: February 2016
• Publisher: Coffee House Press
• Length: 200 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.5" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

AN OUTSTANDING LOOK AT THE METHODS & MIND OF A PREDATOR

This is a well-written, gripping story, focusing on the worst kind of sexual predator -- a pedophile who is a church official. His office -- and its accompanying mantle of trust -- makes him more effective than most of these monsters. It also makes the damage he does even harder for its victims to overcome.Evenson's writing is concise, giving us a clear, hard look at this man and his methods. He is protraying only one man, of course -- and there are as many 'reasons' for the sort of behavior he perpetrates as there are perpetrators -- but many of the 'classic' actions are here. While on the one hand he seems to be 'out of control', hallucinating voices and seeing (and following the instructions of) multiple personalities within himself, we can also clearly see him meticulously manipulating his victims -- there is definite premeditation in his acts.The attempt by the church to cover up the scandal as it comes more and more into the light is completely dispicable -- and, in light of recent events in the news, very topical. At first, the man's superiors place their faith in his assurances that he is innocent of any wrongdoing. When it becomes clearer and clearer that he has been lying to them, they are righteously shocked and outraged that he has deceived them -- but they made no real investigation into the allegations when they first arose.This is not a happy novel -- but then neither are the lives of indiciduals who have suffered the 'attentions' of predators such as the one so vividly drawn here. It is, however, a novel that should be read by any adult who cares about how children are treated, and about protecting them. This is not a book for young, immature readers -- but I would be comforted if my 16 year-old read it (she's mature and intelligent).Brian Evenson has done a great service in writing this novel -- its message is one that too many people brush aside, thinking, 'That kind of stuff never happens to anyone I know'. Statistics, sadly, show that they're wrong.

A Fantastically Disturbing Novel

One becomes instantly captivated once the pages of FATHER OF LIES are opened. Evenson does a brilliant job seeping into the subconscious mind of the reader--I had nightmares! When a book causes nightmares, you know it's good! The devil himself couldn't have done any better. He causes the reader to question the power and authority given to man that is protected by the church. I found the book to be a fast read and one that I could not put down. When the reader closes the book, (s)he is thankful that it is only fiction...

Call David Lynch now!

In Father of Lies, Brian Evenson has at once crafted a straight-ahead thriller (somewhat contrary to his reputation as an experimentalist) and also crawls into your psyche with a mood that reminded me of that weird Jacob's Ladder movie. I could see someone like David Lynch making a creepy movie out of this. It sucked me in and was a quick, entertaining read with serious undertones.

A fascinating fictional exposé

As a scathing indictment of institutional corruption that transcends its religious milieu to comment on well-meaning but powerful ideological organizations generally, Father of Lies is timely and desperately needed.Though murder, pederasty, and multiple personalities could have made for a gripping psychological thriller, Evenson wisely avoids the genre's overworked trappings with odd details and fresh turns of event that make the novel as memorable as it is disturbing.Evenson's adept point-of-view shifts and experiments in form and psychic distance demonstrate a technical proficiency that allows him to alternately take readers deep inside the twisted mind of his protagonist, then back out for relieving breathers.In the end, a quick, sobering, and worthwhile read.

one of the best pieces of fiction i've seen lately

this book was excellent, the story of a psychotic, pedofile priest and his insane delusions, highly reccomended