Description
The Last Ugly Person: And Other Stories by Roger B. Thomas is a collection of four allegorical novellas that explore the human personality, the mystery of evil, and how humanity responds to the call of Christ. Published by Ignatius Press, the book uses distinct speculative and mythological settings to examine Christian truths.
The book is structured into four distinct stories, outlined below:
1. “The Last Ugly Person”
2. “Numaris”
This longer, epic military story takes place in a fictional land torn by war. It functions as a complex ecclesiastical allegory exploring the historically fractured relationship between the Catholic and Protestant churches. Through a grand, sweeping conflict, Thomas delivers a powerful message regarding the tragedy of division within the broader Christian faith.
3. “The Purging”
Written as a traditional quest narrative reminiscent of John Bunyan’s classic The Pilgrim’s Progress, this story centers on a man tasked with a difficult journey. He must travel through an unfamiliar, perilous land to bring a prisoner before a king he has never seen, serving as a direct metaphor for spiritual trial, obedience, and blind faith.
4. “I Have Slaved for You”
Concluding the collection, this final piece is a unique work of micro-fiction styled as a classic Western. Despite its brevity (spanning less than two pages), it delivers a punchy theological reflection on grace, service, and the relationship between a father and a son.
Core Theme
Rather than resorting to overly sentimental or bleak tones, the collection weaves a realistic tapestry of human nature. It balances the raw agony of sin and systemic destruction with an underlying message of enduring hope and divine goodness.
Paperback. First-Edition. 206 Pages. Very-Good Condition.
