Passage in Building a SciFi/Fantasy Library

Jan 19, 2019 Rosemary rated it really liked it

I'm not all that crazy about reading about death, which is probably why this is one of the few Willis novels that I had never re-read. However, I just judged a high school fiction contest while practically every story ended with the protagonist dying horribly or dying enlightened.* Which led me back to this book, which deals with death so beautifully and so humanely that I can go back to living a bit more enlightened, hopeful, and even cheerful.

*How those protagonists got to their sticky ends v ...more

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Nov 24, 2008 H. R. rated it really liked it

Shelves: science-fiction, fiction, religion, thriller, authors_connie_willis

Willis is a very optimistic and humanistic oriented writer. She uses a backdrop of catastrophic events for creating characters who respond to the events with empathy and attempts to help others. Willis's message: Under extreme stress, most people will reach out to help others, putting others' well being above their own. Most people are good, and the cornerstone is empathy.

The catastrophic event in _Passages_ is, quite simply, death. A medical research team uses new technology to observe and ins ...more

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Aug 19, 2012 Steven rated it really liked it

Shelves: urban-contemporary, esoterics, science-fiction

Great read but a tad long and more drawn out in the middle than I felt it needed. That's the only reason this fell to 4 stars. ...more

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Sep 05, 2007 Tracey rated it really liked it

Shelves: due-for-re-read

2 doctors researching near-death experiences discover a drug combo that simulates NDE's. One decides to be a guinea pig and makes a remarkable discovery. A memorable mix of humor, suspense, romance (kinda) and history.
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