Epoch

 

Epoch  by Timothy Carter

Interest Level: Grades 6+

Reading Level: 4+

Fourteen-year old Vincent Drear is living in interesting times. Society as a whole has accepted that the world is at the End of Times and many religions have popped up claiming to be the true way to be Saved. Vincent's family are part of the fundamentalist Triumverates and spend their time protesting movies about boy wizards and handing out leaflets. Vincent doesn't believe quite as fervently as his parents or his older brother and because of this spends a lot of time locked in the family chapel. His latest offense is that he didn't preach the Triumverate word at his school's "End of World Science Fair" but being locked in the chapel isn't his biggest problem- it's the strange elf-like creature he spotted under one of the displays!


He soon finds that most humans don't see magical creatures and his ability to has captured the interest of the elves, who implant a ladybug creature in his nose to cause him pain if he doesn't do as they ask. Vincent soon finds out that the world will be ending in two days so that a new Epoch can be entered- complete with a new dominant species. It's up to him to find the portal out of this world or risk all humanity being eaten by demons. This is a funny, irreverent look at religion that will have readers laughing out loud at some of the antics- if they aren't offended.

Carter, T. (2007). Epoch. Woodbury, MN: Flux.