To The Vanishing Point by Alan Dean Foster (1988) – The Sonderberg family doesn’t know it yet, but this will not be an ordinary road trip. A quiet drive down Interstate 40 becomes a trip into an alternate reality where they pick up an unassuming hitchhiker. It turns out the family has given a ride to an alien who has the fate of the universe resting on her shoulders. Now the Sonderberg family must fight evil alongside their new alien friend in a desperate attempt to save the world they love.
Foster is one of those science fiction writers that keeps popping up with stories I love. I have read some stories involving his character of Flinx with his mini-dragon Pip. So when I saw the description of this one I jumped on it. I have never regretted that decision. It’s a fascinating combination of science fiction and faith as the family finds itself driving into Hell. Yeah, the one we learned about in Sunday school. Well, sort of. The story does a fabulous job of weaving together realistic family dynamics with some parallel universe science fiction. Plus, all the demons (including the bureaucratic) of Hell. The result is a story that feels entirely too real while taking the reader to some fascinating places. From the very first time I read it, I thought “This would make a GREAT movie”. The problem was that the special effects couldn’t keep up with the needs of the story back in 1988. Today, it wouldn’t be a problem and it would still make a great movie. Preparing to do this review gave me the chance to read this book again. I loved it just as much this time as all the others. The book is still available in hardback, paperback and e-book versions.
If you love science fiction, this should on your shelves as well.
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