I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack! I suppose I could conjure up a reason for a long hiatus. Writer's block,
Ennui. Too many other things to do. Or just because.
Today's offering is Michael Koryta's THOSE WHO WISH ME DEAD. (Little, Brown and Company).
Every book of his that I have read has kept my interest all the way through.
This book draws the reader in quickly, The focus of the story if a thirteen boy who witnesses an execution style double murder ass he is swimming alone in a local stone quarry. Then the boy, Jace Wilson becomes the target of the murderers. United States.
Ethan and Alison Serbin run a survival camp for youth in the mountains of the west. And that seems the perfect solution to hiding a boy in plain sight. Jace's acceptance by Serbin is debated with Ethan deciding he can join the group and Alison having severe doubts about it.
The boy's trek begins as does the game of cat and mouse.
The killers that Jace can identify are the two Blackwell brothers, They are stone cold killers and as psychopathic as they get. Remember the James movie with Mr. Kidd and Mr. Wint and their strangely out of context conversations? Well, the Blackwell brothers are their heirs. Weird.
The brothers were able to figure out where Jace is hiding and they begin their deadly search for him. Jace finds out that he is being hunted and gets away from the group. In his escape he meets up with Hannah Faber who is stationed in a remote fire watch tower,
The reader can follow Hannah and Jace as the climb higher to escape a fire below set by the brothers
after they killed the local sherrif. Ethan and others are searching from the other side And the Blackwells seem to be everywhere.
And that only begins to scratch the surface of adventure and suspense.
Koryta not only excels at plotting and storytelling, he also does a bang up job with his character development. His people come alive to the reader and have more than one dimension.
His development of sense of place is uncanny as well. The Florida book felt like Florida. The Midwest -Ohio-felt true as well. As did the latest set in the mountains. I have to speculate if he
lived in all these places or is an excellent researcher or quite intuitive.
This book has its moments of suspense, drama, humor, and sadness, I also had some interesting, to me anyway, thoughts about character "cross pollination" while reading as well. But that is more another time. Read this, you may like it as much as I did.
Saturday, May 17, 2014
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
For all of you fans of the Law and Order franchise, Dick Wolfe has written a fast paced hard hitting novel of intrigue, suspense, and planned terrorism. THE INTERCEPT. Set in New York it brings together all the alphabet soup acronymed agencies who are fighting terrorism to track and prevent an act of terror. The problem is that they know some of the terrorists but not all and they do not know what exactly is planned or where or when. The feds want to let the terrorists goeas far as they can and learn as much as possible before shutting them down, but the New York contingent wants to shut them down as quickly as possible. So some subterfuge is present. The hero cop is a world weary NewYorker who is paired with a female investigator with whom he becomes involved. The story revolves around the seven passengers of an incoming airliner who avert a highjacking attempt and the way they become instant heroes. The woman operative is assigned to the safety detail of the seven and our hero is on the hunt for the terrorists. We get to see al Quaeda sleepers in the US as well as foreign spies and terrorists. The seven become media darlings and are appropriated for supposed security reasons by the government. As time draws down and the hunt closes in it is evident that that all is not going to end perfectly. And all is not what it seems. A sequel would not be amiss
It is a good read and a fast read. I kept trying to cast it as a movie or a TV show as I read.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Happy holidays!
I'm back! I could write a whole column about why I have been absent. Weather - season- gingerbread-
writer's block - procrastination or whatever. But anyway, let's take a quick look at several of the books that came out this year. Today we check out 5 nonfiction books that came across my desk. BENEATH THE SANDS OF EGYPT (Morrow, 978-0--06-17282-9) by Donald P. Ryan; THE WILDER LIFE ( Riverhead Books, 978-1-59448-780-4) by Wendy McClure; HOW THE GOVERNMENT GOT IN YOUR BACKYARD (Timber Press, 978-1-6049-69-001-9) by Jeff Gillman and Eric Heberlig; THE PSYCHOPATH TEST (Riverhead Books, 978-1-59448-801-6) by Jon Ronson; LOOSE DIAMONDS 9 (Morrow, 978-0-06-195874-8) by Amy Ephron.Loose
LOOSE DIAMONDS is a collection o little gems, or essays,told with wryness and humor that chronicle the writers life and its ups and downs. As well as some of her musings about life and all that. Her life as involved some interesting characters (think Squeaky Fromme), the champagne swilling southern belle, as well as a vengeful woman at her son's school, and of course the tantalizing phrase in a shop window that offered loose diamonds for sale. the term loose diamonds led to conjectures of what loose diamonds were - actually.
The book also is a look at the relationship between the author and her alcoholic mother.I found her thoughts on the unpredictability of life and relationships witty and sound.
I found THE PSYCHOPATH TEST: A JOURNEY THROUGH THE MADNESS INDUSTRY to be a disturbing book on several levels. When I started reading it I was not sure if the author was serious. But the more I read the odder it all became.The book is an eye opening look into the world of the tester, the psychologists, psychiatrists and other mental health practitioners. And it is scary. There is a list of supposed traits of psychopaths that the author applies to some of the leaders of industry. Particularly one known for his ruthless decisions.As he learns, it seems that practically everyone exhibits some of these traits. Another disturbing facet is the desire for many of these professionals to want to label everyone. This brings into study the alarming trend of diagnosing very young children with psychiatric disorders and medicating them. It begins to look as if many of the professionals are indistinguishable from their patients. As a nation we tend to be quick to label and want people to conform and fit into a niche. And in many cases meds seem to be the approved solutions. I am still not sure how I feel about this book except to say that I will probably go over it again I think it reveals some frightening instances and provides a lot of food for thought and further reading and discussion. Incidentally, the author also wrote THE MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS and THEM.
Another book that touches on controversy is HOW THE GOVERNMENT GOT IN YOUR BACKYARD. This is an informative book that deals with both sides of hot button issues such nas weeds that have become herbicide resistant (superweeds); foods that have been loaded with additives and preservative; genetically altered foods, plants and animals' the way we treat lawns, and environmental issues.Alternative fuels are discussed as is biotechnology. The authors have tackled the politics, the science, and some of the folklore about many of these issues and presented it for use of the ordinary homeowner. It is a start to understanding what is good, feasible, far fetched or just plain wrong. I am quite fond of \Timber Press books.
And in a totally different vein, this book and its premise astounded me. THE WILDER LIFE is a title that suggests many things. Perhaps something daring, a biography of Thornton or Gene,but no. this is the story of a woman who is hooked, or maybe I should say obsessed, with THE LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE and all things Wilder. And she is able to indulge her obsession by visiting and studying all things
Wilder.She really retraces the life of the Ingalls family through several states and through a lot of their history.
She, and I, learned that the books were not the complete story. She learned to cook and bake in the manner of the era and place and using the same ingredients when possible.. Even if you were not a fan of the books p\or the TV show, you will find this book amusing and fascinating. I think her husband must be a very understanding man to spend a lot of his time on the trek as well. The book is witty, amusing and very informative. I felt I ended up knowing more about the Wilders than was necessary, but I enjoyed learning it. The author really deserves kudos for her tenacity - as well as clever writing.
The last title. BENEATH THE SANDS OF EGYPT is aasomewhat informall look at several episodes in the life of an archaeologist who is able to make his work come alive. This book looks at the many digs, excavations, and finds that have occurred as Ryan explored in Egypt. He was able to relate his work to
that of the legendary Carter and to let the reader see how the methods and digs have changed over the years. Professionals have replaced professional amateurs and wealthy patrons are more apt to be foundations, universities, museums or governments. And methods are much refined, work is tedious, but small finds can change our view of history. I found it fascinating that Ryan spent a great deal of time studying the ropes found in different tombs. Each era had its types and ways of making ropes.. It was appalling to read of the way some of the graves were desecrated and contents scattered about. Some of the destruction was due to ignorance at the time, some by thieves and some was from natural disasters. The author is able to give the reader a tantalizing word picture of the splendor and the squalor of the setting. One can almost feel the atmosphere. If you enjoy reading about Egypt's past, I recommend this tale of many years of work and learning. Incidentally, the author as a young child was enthralled the exploits of Thor Heyerdahl and his adventures told of in Kon Tiki and other books. Ryan is affiliated with the Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma ,Washington. I would enjoy his classes.
writer's block - procrastination or whatever. But anyway, let's take a quick look at several of the books that came out this year. Today we check out 5 nonfiction books that came across my desk. BENEATH THE SANDS OF EGYPT (Morrow, 978-0--06-17282-9) by Donald P. Ryan; THE WILDER LIFE ( Riverhead Books, 978-1-59448-780-4) by Wendy McClure; HOW THE GOVERNMENT GOT IN YOUR BACKYARD (Timber Press, 978-1-6049-69-001-9) by Jeff Gillman and Eric Heberlig; THE PSYCHOPATH TEST (Riverhead Books, 978-1-59448-801-6) by Jon Ronson; LOOSE DIAMONDS 9 (Morrow, 978-0-06-195874-8) by Amy Ephron.Loose
LOOSE DIAMONDS is a collection o little gems, or essays,told with wryness and humor that chronicle the writers life and its ups and downs. As well as some of her musings about life and all that. Her life as involved some interesting characters (think Squeaky Fromme), the champagne swilling southern belle, as well as a vengeful woman at her son's school, and of course the tantalizing phrase in a shop window that offered loose diamonds for sale. the term loose diamonds led to conjectures of what loose diamonds were - actually.
The book also is a look at the relationship between the author and her alcoholic mother.I found her thoughts on the unpredictability of life and relationships witty and sound.
I found THE PSYCHOPATH TEST: A JOURNEY THROUGH THE MADNESS INDUSTRY to be a disturbing book on several levels. When I started reading it I was not sure if the author was serious. But the more I read the odder it all became.The book is an eye opening look into the world of the tester, the psychologists, psychiatrists and other mental health practitioners. And it is scary. There is a list of supposed traits of psychopaths that the author applies to some of the leaders of industry. Particularly one known for his ruthless decisions.As he learns, it seems that practically everyone exhibits some of these traits. Another disturbing facet is the desire for many of these professionals to want to label everyone. This brings into study the alarming trend of diagnosing very young children with psychiatric disorders and medicating them. It begins to look as if many of the professionals are indistinguishable from their patients. As a nation we tend to be quick to label and want people to conform and fit into a niche. And in many cases meds seem to be the approved solutions. I am still not sure how I feel about this book except to say that I will probably go over it again I think it reveals some frightening instances and provides a lot of food for thought and further reading and discussion. Incidentally, the author also wrote THE MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS and THEM.
Another book that touches on controversy is HOW THE GOVERNMENT GOT IN YOUR BACKYARD. This is an informative book that deals with both sides of hot button issues such nas weeds that have become herbicide resistant (superweeds); foods that have been loaded with additives and preservative; genetically altered foods, plants and animals' the way we treat lawns, and environmental issues.Alternative fuels are discussed as is biotechnology. The authors have tackled the politics, the science, and some of the folklore about many of these issues and presented it for use of the ordinary homeowner. It is a start to understanding what is good, feasible, far fetched or just plain wrong. I am quite fond of \Timber Press books.
And in a totally different vein, this book and its premise astounded me. THE WILDER LIFE is a title that suggests many things. Perhaps something daring, a biography of Thornton or Gene,but no. this is the story of a woman who is hooked, or maybe I should say obsessed, with THE LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE and all things Wilder. And she is able to indulge her obsession by visiting and studying all things
Wilder.She really retraces the life of the Ingalls family through several states and through a lot of their history.
She, and I, learned that the books were not the complete story. She learned to cook and bake in the manner of the era and place and using the same ingredients when possible.. Even if you were not a fan of the books p\or the TV show, you will find this book amusing and fascinating. I think her husband must be a very understanding man to spend a lot of his time on the trek as well. The book is witty, amusing and very informative. I felt I ended up knowing more about the Wilders than was necessary, but I enjoyed learning it. The author really deserves kudos for her tenacity - as well as clever writing.
The last title. BENEATH THE SANDS OF EGYPT is aasomewhat informall look at several episodes in the life of an archaeologist who is able to make his work come alive. This book looks at the many digs, excavations, and finds that have occurred as Ryan explored in Egypt. He was able to relate his work to
that of the legendary Carter and to let the reader see how the methods and digs have changed over the years. Professionals have replaced professional amateurs and wealthy patrons are more apt to be foundations, universities, museums or governments. And methods are much refined, work is tedious, but small finds can change our view of history. I found it fascinating that Ryan spent a great deal of time studying the ropes found in different tombs. Each era had its types and ways of making ropes.. It was appalling to read of the way some of the graves were desecrated and contents scattered about. Some of the destruction was due to ignorance at the time, some by thieves and some was from natural disasters. The author is able to give the reader a tantalizing word picture of the splendor and the squalor of the setting. One can almost feel the atmosphere. If you enjoy reading about Egypt's past, I recommend this tale of many years of work and learning. Incidentally, the author as a young child was enthralled the exploits of Thor Heyerdahl and his adventures told of in Kon Tiki and other books. Ryan is affiliated with the Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma ,Washington. I would enjoy his classes.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Reminder from the Shelfstalker...
All opinions are my own. I am not paid to write about these books, nor are my views that of the publisher. I suspect they would sometimes have other ones. And so...keep up the reading!
SPOILER ALERT!
Be warned that you may get more information than you want from the following reviews. So be careful, as there are plot revelations to follow.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
One author and 3 books
A.J. Scudiere was not an author I had heard of before; Griffyn Ink was not a publisher I was familiar with. So when I had the opportunity to read and talk about three of the Scudiere books, I jumped at the chance. Not really knowing what I would discover. I discovered a very versatile author who had a way to get her point across to the reader in some unusual and unexpected ways. The three books I read were RESONANCE (0-9799510-0-3); VENGEANCE (0-9799510-1-1); and GOD'S EYE (978-0-9799510-8-4). The versatility of the author is evident in her choice of subject that becomes the vehicle for her underlying, or so it seems, theme of the books.
It took me a while to get in to the book RESONANCE. The writing style was rather intense and the Drs. Jillian and Jordan sounded too much alike at first and it seemed that there were characters appearing from many diverse places. But once I got into the rhythm of the book and saw that Jillian and Jordan in the new jobs at the CDC were investigating some mysterious illness and deaths and that Dr. Becky Sorenson was investigating some strange animal behavior as well as a worrying mutation of frogs, it was not surprising to discover that a geologist and a paleontologist have discovered some magnetic hot spots that could signal a massive change for life as we know it. What ensues is a look at how people react when the polar reversal takes place and what will happen to the earth and its inhabitants -both plant and animal. Interwoven through out the book are some complicated interpersonal relationships as well as plenty to think about as to what is happening to the earth and its inhabitants- both plant and animal. The book in one way is a medical suspense story. It is also a look at nature. It is also in the realm of speculative fiction. We have a glimpse of what appears to happens when the polls shift. Massive illness. Massive deaths. Plant and animal changes and extinctions. And a possibility of two alternate worlds. when people die in one world, they appear to move into the other world. And it appears that the people who die and those who stay are divided by occupation. Interesting, it appears that the FBI are categorized as good and the CIA as bad. Oddly enough some can pass back and forth between two world. Jillian and David, the geologist are such people. But how they decide to handle this is a twist.. Adventure, speculations, and a message of change is there. One also get a sense of right and wrong and good and bad at play here as well.
VENGEANCE appears to be a whole new ball game. We meet a rather harassed FBI agent who has been tracking a serial killer for some time. The killer is known as the Ninja Grudge killer and appears to be slicing and dicing some bad guys up and then killing them. There have been no clues and nothing to point to who is the killer, but it is keeping Owen Dunham away from his family and traveling all over the country.
We meet Lee Maxwell. a loner, an ex accountant, who worked for the Mafia and then betrayed them They retaliated by killing all of his family. Lee went to ground and learned to become a master marksman and went about methodically killing the gangsters who had killed his family. He usually stayed in the eastern part of he country. lee is out for a kill when he discovers that there is someone else at his scene who also plans to take out this particular bad guy. The assassin is a young woman, Cynthia (Cyn) Beller who was a survivor when the Mafia killed her family. She came up through the foster care system and learned early to defend herself and she has added an arsenal of deadly martial art top her education and set out to eliminate the people who executed her family as well as some of those who abused her now dead sister when they were on foster care. Cyn is the Grudge Ninja that Owen is hunting. This chance meeting between Cyn and Lee begets a deadly partnership that covers the country and drives the FBI mad. They kill only the bad guys, but do a little free lancing from the ,Mafia when they discover some really evil people. This book is much more violent than RESONANCE and more gory. There are also fewer characters to keep straight and that is a plus. At times I wished that they would stop the murders and get on with the plot. The character development of Lee and Cyn was a work in progress. The reader could see that they were causing each other to humanize and relate to each other. And as this happened, they were not so mechanical and mistakes were made and clues were available for the FBI. The killers decided to quit and Cyn went back to school for a college degree and Cyn and Lee were now just Mr. and Mrs. Kincaid. And Owen is one of Cyn's teachers at college. When he discovers his Ninja is in his class will he turn her in or will the FBI have decided that justice has really been served?
GOD'S EYE is the story of Katharine Geryon and her struggle to find her own identity. She is the daughter of a wealthy owner of an investment firm and is in line to take over when he retires. She lives in a posh condo and appears to lead a rather lonely life, A sort of poor little rich girl. But Katharine is a work in progress herself and absorbs feelings and opinions like a sponge. She is unattached at present and rather set in her ways. But that is about to change. And Katharine is not sleeping well. Nightmares. Apparitions.Sooty stains on her carpet. And animals appearing in her room. What is happening? And to add to the upheaval she is assigned a new assistant at work who set out to charm her and seduce her as well. There is also Zachary, the handsome and charismatic man who moved in next door to her condo and who also sets out to woo and seduce her. Where the first book had an abundance of death and destruction, and the second book had a plethora of violence, this story is laden with sex. Katharine can not control her impulses around either Zachary or Alastair and she is still plagued by dreams and strange visitations, She hits the local library to research some of the things happening and to decipher the messages left on her mirror and is befriended by a librarian who helps her with her research as well as becomes her friend. Something that has been missing in Katharine's life. It becomes apparent that Alastair and Zachary and a demon and an angel fighting for her soul and Katharine is told she will have to choose one or the other in the end. She has feelings for both, but knows she can not really have them because their real forms are terrifying. She is attracted to both, but only one is good and in the end he breaks the rules and tells her that she does not \have to choose one of them. There is another choice. But for this lapse he is killed. During the struggle between good and evil going on over Katharine she has learned what happens with the companies the firm invests in and she also becomes more aware of right and wrong and the fragility of the environment. When her father is killed during an earthquake and a building collapse,Katharine decided\s to work for the good of mankind and the environment with her money. So good wins out in this fast paced book of the paranormal and eternal earthly struggle between good and evil.
I said Scudiere was a versatile writer. She is. Her subjects are varied and plots range from natural disasters to murders to the paranormal. BUT- there is one underlying theme in all the book. The struggle between good and evil and how we perceive it. Religion, in several forms, gets its props, but personal responsibility for doing the right things is high on the list of importance. And free will. I found these books tough to read at times. But I was help captive all the way through each book by wanting to know who would persevere and how. I am certainly looking forward to the next book out to see where this is all going.
It took me a while to get in to the book RESONANCE. The writing style was rather intense and the Drs. Jillian and Jordan sounded too much alike at first and it seemed that there were characters appearing from many diverse places. But once I got into the rhythm of the book and saw that Jillian and Jordan in the new jobs at the CDC were investigating some mysterious illness and deaths and that Dr. Becky Sorenson was investigating some strange animal behavior as well as a worrying mutation of frogs, it was not surprising to discover that a geologist and a paleontologist have discovered some magnetic hot spots that could signal a massive change for life as we know it. What ensues is a look at how people react when the polar reversal takes place and what will happen to the earth and its inhabitants -both plant and animal. Interwoven through out the book are some complicated interpersonal relationships as well as plenty to think about as to what is happening to the earth and its inhabitants- both plant and animal. The book in one way is a medical suspense story. It is also a look at nature. It is also in the realm of speculative fiction. We have a glimpse of what appears to happens when the polls shift. Massive illness. Massive deaths. Plant and animal changes and extinctions. And a possibility of two alternate worlds. when people die in one world, they appear to move into the other world. And it appears that the people who die and those who stay are divided by occupation. Interesting, it appears that the FBI are categorized as good and the CIA as bad. Oddly enough some can pass back and forth between two world. Jillian and David, the geologist are such people. But how they decide to handle this is a twist.. Adventure, speculations, and a message of change is there. One also get a sense of right and wrong and good and bad at play here as well.
VENGEANCE appears to be a whole new ball game. We meet a rather harassed FBI agent who has been tracking a serial killer for some time. The killer is known as the Ninja Grudge killer and appears to be slicing and dicing some bad guys up and then killing them. There have been no clues and nothing to point to who is the killer, but it is keeping Owen Dunham away from his family and traveling all over the country.
We meet Lee Maxwell. a loner, an ex accountant, who worked for the Mafia and then betrayed them They retaliated by killing all of his family. Lee went to ground and learned to become a master marksman and went about methodically killing the gangsters who had killed his family. He usually stayed in the eastern part of he country. lee is out for a kill when he discovers that there is someone else at his scene who also plans to take out this particular bad guy. The assassin is a young woman, Cynthia (Cyn) Beller who was a survivor when the Mafia killed her family. She came up through the foster care system and learned early to defend herself and she has added an arsenal of deadly martial art top her education and set out to eliminate the people who executed her family as well as some of those who abused her now dead sister when they were on foster care. Cyn is the Grudge Ninja that Owen is hunting. This chance meeting between Cyn and Lee begets a deadly partnership that covers the country and drives the FBI mad. They kill only the bad guys, but do a little free lancing from the ,Mafia when they discover some really evil people. This book is much more violent than RESONANCE and more gory. There are also fewer characters to keep straight and that is a plus. At times I wished that they would stop the murders and get on with the plot. The character development of Lee and Cyn was a work in progress. The reader could see that they were causing each other to humanize and relate to each other. And as this happened, they were not so mechanical and mistakes were made and clues were available for the FBI. The killers decided to quit and Cyn went back to school for a college degree and Cyn and Lee were now just Mr. and Mrs. Kincaid. And Owen is one of Cyn's teachers at college. When he discovers his Ninja is in his class will he turn her in or will the FBI have decided that justice has really been served?
GOD'S EYE is the story of Katharine Geryon and her struggle to find her own identity. She is the daughter of a wealthy owner of an investment firm and is in line to take over when he retires. She lives in a posh condo and appears to lead a rather lonely life, A sort of poor little rich girl. But Katharine is a work in progress herself and absorbs feelings and opinions like a sponge. She is unattached at present and rather set in her ways. But that is about to change. And Katharine is not sleeping well. Nightmares. Apparitions.Sooty stains on her carpet. And animals appearing in her room. What is happening? And to add to the upheaval she is assigned a new assistant at work who set out to charm her and seduce her as well. There is also Zachary, the handsome and charismatic man who moved in next door to her condo and who also sets out to woo and seduce her. Where the first book had an abundance of death and destruction, and the second book had a plethora of violence, this story is laden with sex. Katharine can not control her impulses around either Zachary or Alastair and she is still plagued by dreams and strange visitations, She hits the local library to research some of the things happening and to decipher the messages left on her mirror and is befriended by a librarian who helps her with her research as well as becomes her friend. Something that has been missing in Katharine's life. It becomes apparent that Alastair and Zachary and a demon and an angel fighting for her soul and Katharine is told she will have to choose one or the other in the end. She has feelings for both, but knows she can not really have them because their real forms are terrifying. She is attracted to both, but only one is good and in the end he breaks the rules and tells her that she does not \have to choose one of them. There is another choice. But for this lapse he is killed. During the struggle between good and evil going on over Katharine she has learned what happens with the companies the firm invests in and she also becomes more aware of right and wrong and the fragility of the environment. When her father is killed during an earthquake and a building collapse,Katharine decided\s to work for the good of mankind and the environment with her money. So good wins out in this fast paced book of the paranormal and eternal earthly struggle between good and evil.
I said Scudiere was a versatile writer. She is. Her subjects are varied and plots range from natural disasters to murders to the paranormal. BUT- there is one underlying theme in all the book. The struggle between good and evil and how we perceive it. Religion, in several forms, gets its props, but personal responsibility for doing the right things is high on the list of importance. And free will. I found these books tough to read at times. But I was help captive all the way through each book by wanting to know who would persevere and how. I am certainly looking forward to the next book out to see where this is all going.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Yes...finally
Sorry about the delay,. Why has it been so long? Summer. Weather. Politics. Economy.
All of the above. Or none. Just procrastination at writing. But, read
I did and so now, the deluge.
If you like novels dealing with religious conspiracy you will be fascinated by SANCTUS ( William Morrow 978-0-06-203830-2) by Simon Toyne. This novel brings brings together many of the usual elements. The religious edifice that is famous for its vast collection of manuscripts and religious writings. But they are totally unavailable to modern scholars. It has the monks at odds with the Vatican. It has a suspicious suicide of one of the monks. And the counter plots of the monastery to keep the body aways from the local Turkish police is very odd and violent. .It also involves the long standing enmity between this monastic order and the keepers of the "old" religious faith. It involves the leaders of a humanitarian foundation. The subplots of the monks who will stop at nothing to conceal their perversion of the old religion, an unusual police group, and a group in South America are added to by the surprised and unsuspecting journalist sister of the dead monk keep the book filled with action and violence as well as twists and turns of religious lore.. what is t\\he secret being concealed by the amoral abbot of the monastery? What goes on during the rituals? Who is dead monk and why are he and his sister so special? Why will the group at the monastery kill to protect their secrets? It is a secret that could shake the foundations of religion as it we know it. what if
Eve were not the cause of mankind's woes as suggested? What if....Well, If you want to now what if, I have 3 books to give away if you contact me here, on Facebook, or on twitter.
did. Am]nd so nlow the deluge,
All of the above. Or none. Just procrastination at writing. But, read
I did and so now, the deluge.
If you like novels dealing with religious conspiracy you will be fascinated by SANCTUS ( William Morrow 978-0-06-203830-2) by Simon Toyne. This novel brings brings together many of the usual elements. The religious edifice that is famous for its vast collection of manuscripts and religious writings. But they are totally unavailable to modern scholars. It has the monks at odds with the Vatican. It has a suspicious suicide of one of the monks. And the counter plots of the monastery to keep the body aways from the local Turkish police is very odd and violent. .It also involves the long standing enmity between this monastic order and the keepers of the "old" religious faith. It involves the leaders of a humanitarian foundation. The subplots of the monks who will stop at nothing to conceal their perversion of the old religion, an unusual police group, and a group in South America are added to by the surprised and unsuspecting journalist sister of the dead monk keep the book filled with action and violence as well as twists and turns of religious lore.. what is t\\he secret being concealed by the amoral abbot of the monastery? What goes on during the rituals? Who is dead monk and why are he and his sister so special? Why will the group at the monastery kill to protect their secrets? It is a secret that could shake the foundations of religion as it we know it. what if
Eve were not the cause of mankind's woes as suggested? What if....Well, If you want to now what if, I have 3 books to give away if you contact me here, on Facebook, or on twitter.
did. Am]nd so nlow the deluge,
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