Inferno.

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I am reading fairly well.  My innards still feel... very off.  I am uncomfortable in most positions, so it doesn't matter.  Reclining might be a bit better, if just for a while.  At some point that becomes bad, which makes sleep difficult.  It is like a lizard, on hot sand, shifting what is touching the painful dry lake of tiny bits so that nothing gets too hot for too long.  Only this has to do with gravity, organs, and pain.  No, nothing new.  Thankfully it just happens in spells, comes and goes.  I do well with pain and ill health.  For what that is worth.

Ah, but the book.  Some of the monsters in it I knew of well before this book.  Some where new, in my first reading.  I had been a fan of monsters, lore, and such from an early age.  Attuned to it naturally.  To some degree, no need for belief, though no complete belief either.  Monsters are real, as are angels, demons, and others.  Men can be the monsters, but they aren't the only one.  It seems, however, at this time God set this space aside for men to make their choice, or... really... for men to descend in time, on their own, unmolested save by themselves.  That's my story and I am sticking to it.

As to the damnations and such?  In here, I think of these as fiction.  While I do believe there are levels, houses of various sizes, and such, in heaven, purgatory, and hell, I just don't see devils, demons, or monsters being allowed to lord over the lost.  I suppose, at the time, it was an attempt to put some order to things.  In a general sense, I believe he was more accurate than people today.  It is an interesting read, from a time when men really did believe in sin and punishment.  I do wish more men could attend exorcisms.  I think they would have the devil scared out of them.  The problem is, those who don't even believe in sin would be a serious draw to those who possess another.  Sometimes more than one creature possesses, one of which, or even all, could pass right on to someone weak of faith, as they crumble.  It would be a grave risk.  It's a danger even sometimes to priests of strong faith.  I wonder if the pope has ever attended an exorcism?  Does he believe in them?  Just a question.  It might be a terrible risk though, too.

Well, it was certainly a book along the lines of much else I had read.  While it is mostly Christian, more heavily Catholic, it is also classical, even historical, in nature.  For as good as it is, the author seems to get some things incorrect, on a number of fronts.  Though given the nature of the writing, the length, and the various involvements, I'm not going to throw a stone, first or last, just noticing some things.  Quite a book.  I'm about half way through.  I don't remember a great deal, of the written word, but if you read here, and read it, you might well see themes and such carried in and or over.  There are bits, pieces... some smaller, some larger.  It must have touched my mind.

Well, on to something.  The internet was down for a goodly bit so I got a lot of reading in.  I'll get back to reading anyway.  Don't mind my stumbling as I write, think.  I'm rather toasted.  No, not that kind, simply mechanically worn down.  Blathering.  Forgive.  Later.