Product Description

When Tom Cutter hires Constantine Shaklin as an engineer in his air freight business, he little realises the extraordinary gifts of his new recruit. Shaklin possesses a religious power which inspires everyone he meets to a new faith and hope for humanity. As Cutter's business grows across Asia, so does Shaklin's fame, until he is widely regarded as a unifying deity. Though he struggles to believe Shaklin is indeed divine, Cutter too finds solace in his friend's teachings, and commits to passing on his message.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #77561 in Books
• Published on: 2009-09-03
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 352 pages

Review
A story which grips and fascinates, a story enriched by the observation and understanding which have made Shute's work outstanding Scotsman He holds attention to the last page Daily Telegraph So convincingly does Shute tell the story and so cleverly does he leave the character of Shaklin deliberately vague that the book is as absorbing as anything he has written, and Cutter one of his finest creations Glasgow Herald

About the Author
Nevil Shute Norway was born on 17 January 1899 in Ealing, London. After attending the Dragon School and Shrewsbury School, he studied Engineering Science at Balliol College, Oxford. He worked as an aeronautical engineer and published his first novel, Marazan, in 1926. In 1931 he married Frances Mary Heaton and they went on to have two daughters. During the Second World War he joined the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve where he worked on developing secret weapons. After the war he continued to write and settled in Australia where he lived until his death on 12 January 1960. His most celebrated novels include Pied Piper (1942), No Highway (1948), A Town Like Alice (1950) and On the Beach (1957).

Customer Reviews

Why you should read this book...
Shute gives us yet another inspiring tale filled with hope for humanity. Told by a pilot in the post-war period it charts his experiences through the Middle and Far East and the people who touch his life. Shute's characters, as ever, are beautifully drawn and wholly believable and face life with a dignity missing from many authors' work. As we are shown glimpses of the nature of faith, redemption, and love against the unlikely background of aeroplane engineering we cannot fail to be moved.

One of the strongest titles from the master-storyteller it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up with sheer emotion.

His best
Having read several of Nevil Shutes books, and finding pleasure in many of them, this is the one that I keep coming back to. In my opinion, it's his best, with "A town like Alice" coming second.

The story takes you through the mid-east and south Asia, bringing up subjects like work ethics, religion and tolerance between ethnic groups.

Even though a lot has changed in the world as compared to when the book was written, it is still a book to read, and to ponder on.

Excellent book
I read this book about 15 years ago, and was immediately impressed, I still think of it today, and rate it amongst the best Novels I have ever read.