By 
My Review of “The Philosopher’s Flight” by Tom Miller Simon and Schuster, February 2018
Tom Miller, Author of “The Philosopher’s Flight” has provided a unique story that combines the Genres of Science Fiction, Historical Fiction, Magical Illusion, Magical Realism, and Fiction. The author has woven these genres in a coming of age tale of a young man fighting for his dreams in a women’s world.
The author describes his characters as complex and complicated. The time-line for the story is around World War One and goes back in history, and speaks a little of the future. Women have been able to be “practitioners of empirical philosophy”….”Used to summon the wind, shape, clouds of smoke, heal the injured and even fly”(Blurb from NetGalley) The women have been able to win past wars and battles using these skills. Of course this has caused dangerous opposition from others that would want these women destroyed.
Robert Weekes was only a child when his mother, considered a hero, taught him to fly and apply this philosophy. At eighteen years of age, Robert’s goals are to become part of the elite medics that fly and Rescue and Evacuate during the war. Unfortunately this is a women’s branch in the government and most men don’t fly and use this philosophy. Robert is determined to enter an all Woman’ s College, and learn more philosophy and sharpen his personal flying skills. Many of the women bully him, and make fun of him. Society doesn’t really approve of a man being able to hover and fly.
What would it take for Robert’s dreams to come true? What are the risks for him. This is an unusual story, and if you try to imagine what if……..Can you imagine women having the power to fly their own bodies to save other people’s lives? Or women using smoke to cast an illusion or fight or heal others? I would recommend this novel for those who appreciate Science Fiction, Magic and Historical Fiction. I received An Advanced Reading Copy from NetGalley for my honest review.
