Book Review: The Land of Later On by Anthony Weller

There are probably more visions of the afterlife than there are religions and cultures that believe in it. It is unlikely though that any other than Anthony Weller's offer a choice between an eternal afterlife and reincarnation, albeit as an entirely different person.

In fact, in Weller's The Land of Later On, the power(s) that be actually make sure each new arrival gets a guidebook. The underlying message of the book, though, is that life, so to speak, is better reincarnated than spent in eternity.

The Land of Later On is purportedly a book written by the protagonist, Kip, a New York City jazz pianist who returns from the afterlife after a suicide attempt prompted by a neurological disease that prevents him from playing music. He writes the book not to convince people there is life after death but to urge them to resist the guidebook's ongoing encouragement to reincarnate once they arrive there.

The eternity Weller envisions is much like life on Earth but, with practice, people can transport themselves to almost any time and place. Still, it isn't quite the same. For example, you won't be able to meet or chat with Shakespeare, Mozart or any number of historical figures because they decided to be reincarnated. Likewise, you can't attend a historic event because they happen only once and cannot be experienced again.

For Kip, though, the ability to go wherever and whenever he wants isn't all that important. Once slightly acclimated, he spends his time searching for his girlfriend Lucy, who died of leukemia a couple years before his suicide attempt. The effort is daunting given that even if he picks the right place, he must also pick the right time. And the search will be inevitably fruitless if Lucy has already returned to life as a new and different person.

Article Author: Tim Gebhart

Tim Gebhart lives in Sioux Falls, SD, where he practices law in order to provide shelter for his family, his dogs, and his books. He is a member of the National Book Critics Circle and his blog de guerre is A Progressive on the Prairie.

Visit Tim Gebhart's author page — Tim Gebhart's Blog