At first glance it would be easy to dismiss this book as some kind of gimmick or the work of a crank. Is it just cheap attention grabbing? Is the author some kind of madman? Scanning the introduction in which there are mentions of unbelievably numerous sexual conquests and bisexuality adds to the sense of disquiet and unreality. Then immediately below these 'disreputable' claims he writes that 'God Himself paid him several visits'. Well.. that got my attention.

The book itself is composed of letters to a variety of people connected to Overbeck. The first few are letters written to intellectually seduce his teenage boyfriend. These letters serve to set out the direction of the book and introduce the ideas that are developed throughout the rest of the text. At the core seems to be the idea of 'Deification' or said simply, becoming God. It is clear that Overbeck believes himself to have had the experience of the Vision of God and more than this he speaks about the 'Super-trinity'.

"Ah, I have stood with the Super-Trinity risen, every wound healed & laughing, in sweetest love, at Christ's table ...."

I must admit I couldn't really work out one question which is 'Does this guy actually think he's God Almighty?'. There are times when he talks about being some kind of theological trickster and others when it would seem that He has assumed the identity of God Almighty (or vice versa) and is writing as the supreme Deity. At times it is almost as if there are 'different voices' speaking through the text which is for me one of the really fascinating aspects of the book.

BACK TO REVIEWS MAINPAGE |  NEXT