Book Review: Ahmed and the Oblivion Machines

Ray Bradbury (rest in peace) has been my favorite author since I took Mr. Lanctot's freshman English class when I had to write a paper about him and his work.  I found this gem among the adult fiction in the library...

Ahmed and the Oblivion Machines

Ray Bradbury

Ahmed falls asleep in the middle of the desert and becomes separated from his father and caravan.  Certain he will die, his tears fall from his eyes, landing on a bronze bust of an ancient man. The tears cleanse the bust, who comes to life as the jubilant god, Gonn-Ben-Allah.

Gonn wants to help Ahmed, and convince him he has not died, and life is worth living.  He encourages Ahmed to live for the future, and not be confined to the past.

Together they soar through the air and see miracles from the future, the great things that will be created, and evidence that Ahmed, if he keeps trying and pushing through failure, can achieve great things.

Ahmed learns that it is the death of dreams that kills Gonn, which is why he was buried in the desert, to be awakened by a new dreamer.  Without dreams and goals--simple passivity in life--Gonn will perish.

Ray Bradbury can't disappoint, not even if he tried.  His ideas and writing are WAYYY out there, but I really connect with his works.  A lot of his stories are metaphorical, this story being the same way.  He is able to convey ideas in original ways--usually kind of bleak and depressing, which is my favorite.

This story is very short, with great pictures by Chris Lane.  The story flows and encourages the reader to really evaluate their life.  Are we dreamers? Do we want something bigger than ourselves? Or are we content to watch life pass us by, never trying anything new?

Please, meet Ray Bradbury.  Engage in his writing.  You won't regret it.