THE SHADOW OF THE WOLF by Sam Cross

THE SHADOW OF THE WOLF
by Sam Cross

Eternal Press, 2010
eBook ISBN: 978-1-77065-067-1
Print ISBN: 978-1-77065-068-8
366 Pages
eBook
Thriller

Reviewer: Clayton Bye
http://www.claytonbye.com
Alternative-Read.com

An unnamed city (maybe yours) is in the grip of a serial killer the media has dubbed The Wolf.
His victims are young, beautiful women who he takes without leaving clues and who are never seen again. He’s bold! His last victim was in a car pile-up on a main highway; The Wolf took her from her demolished vehicle without being seen. The police are at their wit’s end.

Enter professor Richard Rosenwood, a criminal psychologist who teaches at the local university. The police have asked him for any insights or clues he might turn up by going through the case files. Add in a gorgeous psychology student who is openly interested in the professor, a hooker/thief /compulsive liar who is the only person to ever survive an attack by The Wolf, a couple of sharp detectives and a killer who’s way of disposing of bodies is so horrendous as to be unimaginable and you’ve got yourself an interesting book in the making.

The Shadow of The Wolf is full of interesting characters and many plot twists, but it is also well thought out and written. There’s so much going on, I keep wanting to tell you more. But that would spoil the book for you. Here are a few hint’s to guide you: the professor’s lectures are about real-life serial killers; The Wolf is an appropriate name for the serial killer for several interesting reasons; but most of all, pay close attention to the title of this book and what it might mean (or the number of meanings it may have).

Sam Cross is a pen name for an author with many novels under his belt, and it shows: not a misspelled word, his sentences constantly push you forward—there are no slow spots here; and while I had the story figured out by the time I was a third of a way through the novel, it turns out I was wrong, then wrong again, then wrong again… You see where I’m going with this?

The Shadow of The Wolf is a somewhat unusual, character driven thriller I thoroughly enjoyed. It was time well spent.

Copyright © Clayton Clifford Bye

Harm’s Way by Sam Cross

HARM’S WAY
Sam Cross
Whiskey Creek Press, 2010
eBook ISBN: 978-1-60313-745-4
Print ISBN: 978-1-60313-746-1
328 Pages
eBook
Thriller/Romance

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Clare Boyd is a successful businesswoman whose world is built on a foundation of glass. When her husband, whom she loved dearly, convinced her to carry an accidental pregnancy to term, Clare divorced him a week after the baby was born. A late night with the ultimate client ends with him missing and Clare outside, in a park, in the arms of a statue of an angel, with no memory of the evening. Instead of going to the police, Clare goes manic, trying to cover up her involvement. And then there are the dreams, which turn out to be a reality Clare is not prepared to face.

But face it she will, because someone is carefully pulling back the layers of Clare’s past. This is someone who’s willing to harm everyone who gets in his way—as long as it brings Clare closer to the future he envisions for her.

Harm’s Way, an appropriate title, takes us through the meltdown of a top corporate executive who is poised to take the reigns of the entire company. How can an individual like this unravel in just a few days? Sam Cross shows us, in detail.

This romantic thriller is crisp, professional and character driven. Ross is obviously at home with the genre(s), and I’m sure his fans will love Harm’s Way. For my part, I found this 328 page novel just zipped right on by, which, in my world, means the author did exactly what he’s supposed to do: he drew me in, suspended my disbelief, connected me with his protagonist and kept the tension high enough for me to keep turning those pages.

I did have a couple of concerns.

First, Cross revealed his antagonist/evil doer about half way through the book. He even took us back through scenes we had already seen through Clare’s eyes. Risky business, that. He could have lost me right there. In fact, I found myself saying “What the hell?” You see, by making the choice he did, Cross diluted a great deal of the suspense he had worked so hard to build. And I didn’t understand it. But… Harm’s Way is not a novel of suspense; it’s a thriller. So, believe me when I tell you the author’s seemingly unorthodox choice pays off: there are many more thrills to come, some plot twists you won’t expect and a pace that never lets up.

Second, there’s the questions: Would a seasoned trench fighter like Clare melt down as quickly as she did? Do her actions resonate with who she’s supposed to be? If one follows very closely, Cross answers these questions (in a way) early on in the story. Clare divorced her husband and walked away from her one week old daughter. What would make someone do that? The answer explains Clare’s behaviour throughout the book.

My problem is, I’m not sure, even with Clare’s history, that a mother would walk out on her baby and a husband she loves and who loves her. So, I didn’t quite buy the answer Cross gives the reader. What this means for me as a reviewer is that I would probably give this book a 4 out 5 rather than the perfect 5 (if I used such a scale). However, I’d rather put it this way: just because I have a few issues with Harm’s Way that diminished my enjoyment, doesn’t mean you will. Sam Cross has given his readers a terrific thriller!


Copyright © Clayton Clifford Bye

The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest

The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest
Stieg Larsson
Penguin Group Canada, 2010
ISBN 978-0-670-06903-3
Hardcover
563 pages
fiction/thriller/crime

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Well, it’s done and on the shelves; Stieg Larrson’s last book in a trilogy about a government-generated psychopath who decides she isn’t going to be a victim anymore. Lisbeth Salander is slim, short, boyish, bisexual and can hold her own, physically, against anyone. She also has a photographic memory and is one of the top computer hackers in the world. Living by her own moral code and violently rejecting anyone who tries to make her conform, Lisbeth manages to steal billions of Kroner from a crook, begins living as she wishes and even collects a few friends along the way. However, after tracking down her evil father (who is responsible for virtually everything that’s wrong with her and her life), he and her serial killer brother shoot her in the head and bury her alive, she, of course, digs her way out and almost finishes them off. This brings us to the end of the first two novels.

As the third book begins: Salander is in the hospital awaiting 16 serious charges, including murder. Her father is just 2 rooms down from her. He is also recuperating and spends his days dreaming of killing his daughter. Things take off from this point. A group of friends and honest cops join together to prove Lisbeth is innocent of all charges, that the real perpetrators are an invisible unit operating within the Security Police (SAPO), the same unit responsible for Salander’s odd behaviour and questionable mental state.

From here the book becomes what I would call a police procedural. Author Stieg Larsson obviously knew the inner workings of the Swedish political establishment, the structure and purpose of the police and, of course, the newspaper industry. In The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest, Larsson lets that knowledge out as he takes us on a virtual step-by-step journey from Salander with a bullet in her head until she finishes her case in court, to the secondary character (our real hero) Mikail Blomkvist who plans to take down the CEO of the largest newspaper in the country, help the police snuff out the nest of bad cops and criminals operating within the bowels of SAPO and put together a defense strategy for Salander that has the potential to wreak revenge on virtually everyone who has ever hurt her.

Reviewers at The New York Times and The Globe and Mail, to name a few, just don’t like the phenomenal success of these three books. You can feel it all the way through their reviews. Reviews, by the way that just can’t find a way to pick apart these monumental, international bestsellers. I think these reviewers just don’t “get it.”

Yes, Larsson didn’t know all he should have with respect to writing fiction: he was a reporter and news editor for many years. It’s a different kind of writing. Yes, he sometimes let his right wing politics loose on left wing ideals and notions. Yes, there were a number of messages in his writing, the most important being his statement about the state’s role in the diminishment of women, as well as many abhorrent individual behaviours that seem to be accepted by a complacent society. And I say: So what?

Larsson wrote detailed stories that rang so true, suspending judgment (a must for fictional stories to succeed) wasn’t ever an issue. He also entertained us with, in my mind, the most interesting antihero in modern fiction. Lisbeth Salander is such a mixture of characteristics, I believe she has the ability to capture readers from all genres and ages. Too bad Stieg Larrsson died. I’ve read that he intended the series to be 10 books in length. Wouldn’t that have been something?


Copyright © Clayton Clifford Bye

The Horns and the Beast by Charles Oak

The Horns and the Beast
by Charles Oak
Booksurge/Createspace, 2009
ISBN 9781439242476
Trade Paperback
449 pages
Thriller

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Martin Crowshaw is a successful industrialist in the field of miniature electronics. He also has what he claims is a hobby: Martin works for Global Doomsday Trust (GDT), a covert organization dedicated to countering international environmental crime. Currently, his arm of the trust is monitoring the Rhinoceros population in Northern Botswana, Africa.

When Martin’s group is attacked by a deadly, well-organized group of poachers, the assignment turns into a small scale war that brings torture, rape and death to his people and death to some of his opponents. Once GDT regroups and takes down the poachers, discovering in the process a collection of Rhino Horns equal to half of the Rhino population in Northern Botswana, Martin and his leader (known only as Z) decide to follow the trail back to the source of this sophisticated band of criminals.

Tracing clues and criminals from Botswana to Johannesburg, Germany, Montana, and Hong Kong, Martin and company slowly piece together a very strange puzzle that sees friends killed, families threatened and children kidnapped—all because a mysterious character named Huang Hui is not only poaching, he’s buying up all known collections of Rhino Horns. Martin eventually realizes he’s stumbled upon something much more sinister than the marketing of illegal horns. And when he finds out what that something is, it’s enough to blow his mind. Hopefully Martin can survive long enough to pass on what he knows about… Huang Hui and the Beast.

The Horns and the Beast by Charles Oak is a well written and interesting international thriller full of action, surprises and extreme plot twists. His characters spring to life on the page, and there are enough of them that one is not only drawn deep into the story but into the very lives of those characters. I kept thinking to myself that I was getting glimpses of Desmond Bagley and Hammond Innes.

This 449 page novel is, I believe, Charles Oak’s premiere. The Horns and the Beast is also self-published. I mention this, because it’s rare to find a self-published book that doesn’t have quite a few of what I call “warts,” especially a novel as large and ambitious as this one. I believe I found just 3 spelling mistakes (which is fewer than what I counted in Stephen King’s last novel), and I can’t fault the rhythm, exposition, sentence structure or dialogue.

I will mention a couple of disappointments…

First, there were far too many scenes where Oak completely dispensed with transition. I would be deep in a scene, finish the current paragraph I was reading and start the next paragraph, only to find the author had launched a new scene. Foolishness like that kicks readers right out of the illusion the author has worked so hard to create. Put a few stars between the paragraphs, come up with your own elegant hash mark or simply insert an extra carriage return—anything to warn the reader that he or she has come upon a change in focus.

Second, Desmond Bagley and Hammond Innes wrote adventures and thrillers where ordinary (albeit resourceful) men fought against horrendous odds and terrible villains, and they made these characters believable. Oak’s hero, Martin Crowshaw, is obviously smart and resourceful: he built a successful industrial company. His hunting experience and weapon knowledge is also mentioned early on. But I found myself asking where did some of his other skills come from? There are a number of occasions where Martin acts more like a combat savvy soldier than an engineer. It would seem logical that GDT was responsible for his training, but we are never told this. Such an omission is a definite strike against character believability.

In the end, however, Charles Oak spun his story well enough that I enjoyed the entire novel (even the leisurely start) to the extent that it felt like I had read a book half its size. That’s good enough to garner my vote.


Copyright © Clayton Clifford Bye 2010

Heartstopper by Joy Fielding

I found this review stashed away in a dusty corner, and since I’m featuring Joy Fielding’s new thriller/horror novel, Still Life, on my horror blog this coming week, what better time to throw the Hearstopper review back into the light.

HeartStopper
By Joy Fielding
Seal Books,
April 2008
ISBN: 978-1-4000-2505-3
Mass Market Paperback
442 pages
Thriller

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Joy Fielding has spent her career peeling back the skin of ordinary people. From See Jane Run to  Don’t Cry Now, I’ve always found myself drawn into the lives of the people she writes about. While HeartStopper may seem to be a departure from the rest of her works, I would beg to differ; In HeartStopper, Fielding rips off the face of a small town and gives us look into the true nature of the people who live there.

Welcome to Torrance, Florida. Population: 4,160. Deputy sheriff, John Weber, 20 years on the job is having his competence questioned because of a serial killer who’s targeting beautiful young women. The town, the mayor, even John himself are worried he can’t protect these Heartstoppers. With a wife and a daughter he doesn’t like, John throws everything he has into his job. Teacher, Sandy Crosbie, an emotional wreck—thanks to a straying husband—is so caught up in rebuilding her life she may not be keeping a proper watch over her own daughter, Megan, (one of Torrance’s heartstoppers). We also get to peer into the lives of a number of high school students who show such a tendency for cruelty that you just have to shake your head. Then there’s Kerri, Sandy’s husband’s new girlfriend, a veteran of so many cosmetic surgeries no one knows where the fake stops and the real begins. And Fielding doesn’t stop there. We also get to read the serial killer’s journal and witness firsthand the frightening violence of one of the main suspects for the murders.

HeartStopper is the first of Fielding’s novels that I’ve read which, in my opinion, falls firmly into the realm of popular fiction, and she does it with style. I certainly enjoyed the novel. Couldn’t put it down.

If all mainstream novels delved into character as well as Joy Fielding does, the landscape of popular fiction would look much different—and I would have to say better.


Copyright © 2008 by Clayton Bye

The Knights of Black Chapter by Ken Bourne-Turner

The Knights of Black Chapter
by Ken Bourne-Turner
Printed by Lulu
Paperback/eBook
356 pages
ISBN: 9780955993602
Thriller

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The United Nations building in New York has been destroyed, the towering Duncannon Building in London has also been turned into a twisted wreck and  a 747 jet bound for Chicago from Johannesburg has exploded hundreds of miles off the African coast. All three incidents were timed to achieve the greatest death count possible. Both the American President’s and the British Prime Minister’s combined foreign policies are being blamed for the terrorist attacks.

In an effort to minimize political damage and to deflect the attention being focused on themselves, the two leaders decide on a small surgical response. They each agree to send one qualified man to eliminate the mastermind behind the three bombings. Total deniability of their involvement is acquired by promising the two they can split the 8 million dollar bounty resting on their target’s head. The villain? A man named Mohammed Abu Atif, who heads up a terrorist group called Al VL Sinda.

But what should be a simple operation becomes a life and death struggle against unseen forces so powerful the entire political stability of the world is at risk. These forces are twin branches of an ancient organization that have been fighting for world control since before recorded history. The secret organizations are not about to let two men, no matter how dangerous they might be, interfere with their plans. Hidden deep in the hierarchy of Freemasonry, both groups target the heroes: Lewis Ford, a former Seal and problem solver for the CIA and Harry Blakemore, a similar problem solver for MI6. I’m sure you can imagine the fun and action which follows.

Author Ken Bourne-Turner challenges readers to determine what is fact and what is fiction in his 2009 thriller, The Knights of Black Chapter. I’m going to help you to get started with this. As I review/critique his 356 page novel, I’ll answer a few of the larger questions posed by the novel, based on my own knowledge and research.

So to begin… Bourne-Turner has attempted to write a thriller in the vein of John Le Carre or Robert Ludlum. His book is an interesting “spy” novel, full of history, intriguing characters and larger than life issues. However, before I get into those aspects of The Knights of Black Chapter, I should deal with that word “attempted.” Bourne-Turner and his editorial team (mentioned in the credits) structured his thriller quite well, with one major exception. When writing a novel, an author must create a back story for his work: he must know the motivations of his characters, he must know these constructs intimately and the same applies for the world in which they’ll be existing. But he doesn’t and shouldn’t try to crowd all this knowledge into the tale being told. The back story allows him to make sure his characters operate out of some kind of history, that they remain true to the people this history has determined they are, and that they operate within the rules of the world the author has created for them. Bourne-Turner fails in this area. His characters supply the reader with so much information and so many connections and so many conspiracies it not only makes the book a difficult read, it’s unnecessarily confusing. More importantly, it destroys the “suspension of disbelief” all authors want from their readers. When a character gets up and delivers a complex monologue about several historical incidents that really don’t pertain to the immediate story, the reader is kicked right out of the fantasy. And he or she will resent it.

An example of one such kick in the pants for me was the number of good guys in the story who just happened to be 33rd degree Masons. In real life these elite Masons are hard to find. One does not earn such a degree. It’s bestowed upon you for outstanding Masonic service, usually over a lifetime. Bourne-Turner’s heroes are well-drawn, but there’s no way I can possibly believe Lewis Ford is a 33rd degree Mason. His character just doesn’t fit the profile.

Next, we’ll take a look at the fact versus fiction aspect of the book; the larger than life issues.

The Knights of Black Chapter is based on the idea that two opposing orders (the Incanda and the Black Chapter) split off from a small but very powerful group of people, called Rex Deus or The “King God” Bloodline, and now rule our present day world from the shadows.

I’ve read several theories regarding Rex Deus to date…
1. Rex Deus was an ancient religious order that has died out. I believe this.
2. This group predates Moses and may even go as far back as Adam and Eve. I doubt it.
3. In 2000, three authors published a book entitled Rex Deus: The True Mystery of Rennes-Le-Chateau and the Dynasty of Jesus. The premise of this book is that a Jesus and Mary Magdalene bloodline was part of a dynasty descended from a group of priests of the first temple built to God’s service in Jerusalem. They were known as the Kings of God. Many authors, including Dan Brown, have played with the idea that the bloodline of Jesus is alive, well and powerful. There doesn’t seem to be any replicable or concrete proof of such claims.
4. Bourne-Turner writes that Rex Deus actually split into two factions at some point in ancient history: a religion-oriented branch of 9 people known as the Incanda and a financial-leaning branch of 9 people known as the Black Chapter. Modern history has been determined by the constant struggle for world domination between these two very powerful groups. Bourne-Turner’s premise is interesting but completely fictional.

A few things here: a long time ago Freemasonry split into two groups: The York Rite, where the highest order one can achieve is Knight Templar and The Scottish Rite where the highest order one can achieve is the 33rd degree. Given all the references to Freemasonry in The Knights of Black Chapter, do you think, maybe, this is where he got the idea of a split Rex Deus? Second, nowhere can I find a real organization called Incanda (perhaps this is the author’s version of the Illuminati?). On the other hand there is a real order referred to as the Black Chapter: it’s actually a preceptory of the Orange Lodge, a protestant and somewhat political order which finds its beginnings in Ireland. I assume the author used this name because the Orange and the Black have often been associated with Masonry (My father and grandfather were both members of the Orange, and gramps spoke to me on many occasions regarding the similarities to Masonry. My grandfather was also a 32nd degree Mason and a Knight Templar. I, myself, am an accomplished Mason.).

My conclusion? The Knights of Black Chapter is based on a fiction. Does this mean all the revelations and history and talk of Masonry in Bourne-Turner’s book are also fiction. Not a chance. The author has done his research; his novel is full of little known and interesting historical facts. I found myself stopping quite often during the read to research the accuracy of a statement made by one of his characters. I’m sure you won’t believe that Jesus and Mary are buried beneath Rosslyn Chapel, but you should believe the portion of the 2nd Masonic degree that’s described near the end of the book, as well as the rendering of Hiram Abiff’s death (from the 3rd Masonic degree).

After all this, here’s what I’m left with… If I pare away the history lessons, The Knights of Black Chapter is a decent thriller. As such, I would suggest the ideal reader for this book would be those who enjoy historical fiction and those who don’t mind a heavier reading thriller (Again, I use John Le Carre as an example).

Other than the excessive back story, the novel does have some other editing warts the author should do something about: The use of “yeah” to indicate an American verbalizing “you” is as distracting as hell and, I believe, grammatically incorrect. There were also a few instances where the author had his Americans speaking in British slang–a simple mistake his proofreader should have caught. Transitions from one scene to another were quite often abrupt, the start of a new paragraph taking you from the middle of one scene to something completely different. Similarly, enough words were missed within sentences as to warrant a comment. And using two different spellings of Hiram Abiff? The Masons are going to get you, Ken!

For a first novel, I think Ken Bourne-Turner shot very high. Sure, he missed the centre ring, but he still hit the target. I can think of many books I would have thrown in a corner for the opportunity to read The Knights of Black Chapter. Don’t be discouraged by the technical criticisms Ken: it’s my job to list the good and the not so good.  Just keep on writing, and make sure you (and your editor) work on the piece until you can’t stomach looking at it anymore.


Copyright © Clayton Clifford Bye 2010.

The Strange and Twisted World of Dan Brown

The Lost Symbol
by Dan Brown
Doubleday, 2009
ISBN:  978-0-385-50422-5
509 pages
Hardcover
Suspense/Thriller

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When Robert Langdon is asked to stand in as a speaker at a function at the U.S. Capitol building by his old friend Peter Solomon, he just can’t say no. But when he arrives, instead of finding an eager crowd, Langdon not only discovers he’s been deceived but that he’s the recipient of a different and horrifying invitation. Immediately plunged into a world of endless Masonic secrets, the famous symbologist must separate legend from reality or lose his friend and spark a political nightmare of immense proportions.

Millions of readers and countless reviewers have already weighed in on Dan Brown’s latest offering, The Lost Symbol. With this in mind, I’m going to offer you something different.

First, let me say that after reading the horrendous Angels & Demons, I swore I would never read another book by Dan Brown. I stayed true to my word until this past weekend when a good friend asked me (as an accomplished Freemason) about the accuracy of the Masonic content in The Lost Symbol. Well… it’s obvious what the end result of that conversation was. So, here’s what I’m going to do: I’ll offer up my short opinion of The Lost Symbol (as a reviewer), then I’m going to take some time to discuss Brown’s Masonic world. My hope is you’ll enjoy it.


The Review

One cannot dispute Dan Brown’s ability to intrigue us with complex puzzles and keep us in salivating suspense until the last pages of his novels. This is his brilliance. His books are also full of all sorts of well researched oddities. Yet, as a writer, he cheats his readers in terrible ways. For example, The Lost Symbol reads like a guided tour of Washington’s historic buildings. Forget about an interesting story about interesting people. Robert Langdon is the same paper cut-out from Brown’s two previous books. He’s someone to lead us through the puzzle(s) the author has constructed for us. He doesn’t change or isn’t changed by his experiences (okay, the last word in The Lost Symbol is a minor change). In fact, the only well developed character in the entire book is the villain, Mal’akh. So, I ask you… What the hell do I care about arcane puzzles if I have to wade through a travel brochure peopled with obvious constructs? Brown could have saved me the trouble of reading 509 pages by summarizing the simplistic story on the back of a postcard.


The Meat and Potatoes…

Prior to my reading Dan Brown’s latest book, a senior Mason I know stated that 90% of the Masonic content in The Lost Symbol was accurate. However, saying this, he also made sure I understood this information was fictionalized. In other words, much of it is taken out of context and/or used in a way that fits the story but that doesn’t necessarily reflect its actual use in Freemasonry. “However, Brown does portray Masons in a positive way,” he said.

My own opinion now that I’ve read the book? The previously mentioned (Masonic) brother was quite accurate in his assessment.

For example, early in the book, Brown relates a collection of penalties a Mason will face should he reveal the Masonic secrets entrusted to him: these were included in Brown’s book as broken pieces and grouped together in a way that makes no real sense. Yes, the penalties were accurate, but they were incomplete and taken out of context. You see, Brown fails to note the easily discovered fact that the violent penalties are not practiced, that more civilized methods of punishment are used. The threat of violence is there only to make an impression on the candidate, to remind him that his word and honour are not to be taken lightly; Brown uses the threats in the same way, but never completely explains their purpose or the context in which they are used. His way is more exciting, of course.

Later in the novel, there is mentioned an oath all Masons must take to protect vulnerable family members of another Mason and to keep all his secrets—–even if they are unlawful. This is a blatant untruth. The oath Brown is referring to has the Mason swear to keep all of his brother’s lawful secrets, but to not shield other actions, especially heinous crimes like murder. That’s a huge distinction.

Brown also talks about the 33rd degree in Masonry. One should understand that Masonry is actually like the steps leading up two sides of the same pyramid (the ascension of which symbolizes enlightenment). On one side you have what is known as the York Rite, on the other is the Scottish Rite. The 33rd degree exists only in the Scottish Rite, which is primarily practiced in the United States. This degree is bestowed rather than earned, most often being given to a Mason who has made an outstanding contribution to the craft.

During his depiction of the 33rd degree, Brown states initiation includes drinking wine out of a human skull and taking a solemn oath that your primary allegiance is to the 33rd degree Masons. I can’t refute this claim because I am not a 33rd degree Mason. I do however, know that earlier degrees are careful to recommend allegiance to God, country and your family before even considering your Masonic obligations. As degrees in Freemasonry are like building blocks, one being added to another, it just doesn’t make sense that a senior degree would ask you to undermine that which has already been constructed. The skull? I’ve heard a similar reference to drinking wine from a skull in one of the final degrees in the York Rite. Given my knowledge of the craft, however, I can’t help but wonder about context. (I’ll be taking the degree in question within the next few months, so I expect my curiousity will then be satisfied.)

How about the basis for the novel The Lost Symbol? To my knowledge there is no lost symbol or word or secret pyramid pertaining to the senior degrees of either the York or the Scottish Rite. In the 3rd degree we do learn that one of the three Grand Masters involved in the building of the first temple to God in Jerusalem (Hiram Abiff, the architect or Master Builder) is slain because he wouldn’t reveal the secrets (which involve words, tokens or signs) of a Master Mason. As a result the original secrets were lost. King Solomon, also one of the Grand Masters, has temporary secrets created until the original secrets can be rediscovered. These secrets are revealed/recovered in the Royal Arch degree in the York Rite and, I assume, at a similar point in the Scottish Rite.

The Circumpunct, a dot in the centre of a circle, plays a significant role in The Lost Symbol. In this instance, Brown’s depiction of it is accurate. The symbol is introduced early in Masonry. The centre/dot of the circle is equidistant from all points on the circumference and, in my mind represents our effort to strive for perfection in our lives. Why? Because the centre is “a point from which a Mason cannot err.” Also, the centre in a lodge is found by identifying a sacred symbol which depicts God, The Great Architect of the Universe. So, the Circumpunct also represents God.

The Chamber of Reflection mentioned in The Lost Symbol is found only in the Scottish Rite and not in all lodges. It is usually a small room adjoining the lodge, in which, prior to initiation, the candidate is enclosed so that he may contemplate that which he is about to enter. It is also used in some of the advanced degrees for somewhat similar purposes.

This small room or chamber is dark, with the walls painted black. It contains the following: a simple rough wooden table on which is placed: a human skull, usually on two crossbones, a chunk of bread, a pitcher with water, a container, cup or saucer with salt and one with sulphur, a lighted candle or lantern, an hourglass, paper, ink and pen, a wooden stool or chair, a rooster painted on the wall, a sickle, the acronym V.I.T.R.I.O.L.(U.M.) and various sayings. I would have to say Brown’s depiction in this instance is fair and accurate. Such a room offers the Mason an opportunity to contemplate his life and the nature of death. One of the important lessons of Freemasonry is indeed “how to die.”

The following are some examples of the symbolism involved with The Chamber of Reflection:

THE CHAMBER can be seen as a physical depiction of a Mason’s journey from darkness into light. It can also be a considered a birth, a new beginning, even a resurrection.

THE SKULL and CROSSBONES signify decline and decay. One is to contemplate death as per instructions received in certain degrees. Death is also the Great Leveler and, in time, makes us all equal.

BREAD AND WATER are symbols of simplicity, suggesting to the future initiate how he should conduct his life. While the bread and water represent the elements necessary to life, they also remind the candidate that the physical should not be the only objective in one’s existence. The suggestion is, of course, to look toward the spiritual and the intellectual.

THE ALCHEMICAL ELEMENTS, sulphur, salt and mercury are representative of ancient man’s efforts to turn lead into gold and, in Masonry, actually become a metaphor for bringing the new Mason from darkness to light, from a rough stone into one which is polished and valuable. Sulphur symbolizes spirit, salt symbolizes wisdom and mercury refers to vigilance and faith. Mercury is known to have been represented by a Rooster drawn on a wall.

THE HOURGLASS is a reminder of mortality, that we should make good use of the time given us.

V.I.T.R.I.O.L.(U.M.) Vitriol is a substance used in ancient alchemy. Its Latin meaning suggests one must search for truth within oneself, that the truth is hidden there, and that this truth is the real solution to our problems.

I mention some of these symbols because Brown does include one aspect of York Rite Masonry in his book. It involves the York Rite’s version of The Chamber of Reflection. In The Lost Symbol,  Robert Langdon solves an initial puzzle with ease, recognizing the simple Masonic Cipher or Pigpen Cipher once used by ancient Freemasons to obscure their meeting notes and messages. However, as is often the case in real Masonry, Langdon then finds the decoded message leads to yet another puzzle.

In the 3rd degree of the York Rite, a tracing board (a pictorial collection of symbols) is available for the instruction of the brethren regarding the topic of that degree, which is contemplation of life and instruction on how to die. One must use the Masonic Cipher in order to decode a number of symbols found on this board. However, once this is done, one realizes very quickly that the resultant message is meaningless: there is yet another puzzle to solve before achieving true meaning. As the meaning of this secondary puzzle involves the secrets of the 3rd degree, I’m not at liberty to share it with you

As you can see, Dan Brown obviously spent a great deal of time researching his subject matter. While he may have revealed certain Masonic mysteries I would have left alone, he doesn’t, except for one instance I won’t mention, reveal the secrets of any of the degrees (which by the way are nothing more than signs, tokens and words by which a Mason can recognize a brother). The author also has fun by naming Langdon’s friend Solomon, after King Solomon, who plays a significant role in many of the Masonic plays that make up the various degrees.

I noticed the same kind of playfulness when Brown dealt with the science of Noetics: research into the potentials and powers of consciousness—including perceptions, beliefs, attention, intention, and intuition. Some prominent names in that field are also used as parts of the names of his characters. His basic research into this new “science” is just as sound as his Masonic research.

On an equally light note, the reader will notice that near the end of the book, Peter Solomon and Robert Langdon have a discussion about religion, based on the power of a word or symbol to fundamentally change mankind’s perception of God and of the individual. I quite enjoyed this talk of God Within, Man as a Temple, even Man as God. It works well to prepare us for the revelation of The Lost Symbol, and it is something every person should think about at some point in their religious lives. Freemasonry, by the way, definitely considers the body a temple, yet requires all members to recognize the existence of a supreme being.

There are many other examples of Masonic knowledge used correctly and incorrectly in The Lost Symbol, but I believe I can end with the following summation: Masonry is not a secret organization; it is an organization with secrets. If you wish to become part of the brotherhood and learn those secrets, ask a Mason. We don’t recruit and we rarely defend ourselves in public. Find the truth (the light) yourself, rather than relying on the suspect ramblings of a writer of fiction.


Copyright  © Clayton Clifford Bye

Mister Slaughter by Robert McCammon

This review contains spoilers.



Mister Slaughter
by Robert McCammon
Subterranean Press, Jan 2010
ISBN: 978-1-59606-276-4
Hardcover
440 pages
Historical Fiction/Crime/Thriller

Preorder now from Subterranean Press


Matthew Corbett is back. The quick-witted hero of Speaks The Nightbird and The Queen of Bedlam is now a New York investigator of some renown. He’s also a man marked for death by the elusive, master criminal Professor Fell.

When Matthew Corbett and his mentor, Hudson Greathouse, are assigned by Governor Lord Cornbury to collect Tyranthus Slaughter from the colonial asylum known as Bedlam, they aren’t happy about it. But £5 to escort a killer back to New York is just too much money to turn down.

“Mister” Slaughter, as he prefers to be called, is a man of many faces and a serial killer who makes today’s celluloid villains pale in comparison. When Mister Slaughter offers Greathouse and Corbett a treasure in exchange for his freedom, the men should have bound his mouth and whipped the horses. But Greathouse has a noble thing he wishes to accomplish and no money to do it with. He convinces Corbett to take Mister Slaughter up on his offer. After all, they have no intention of letting the madman go free.

But the two investigators underestimate Mister Slaughter’s ability to plant seeds of evil far in advance and patiently wait for those seeds to grow and bear fruit. Not only do the two men get cheated out of their treasure, Mister Slaughter manages to arm himself, seriously injure Greathouse, incapacitate Corbett and escape.

Rescued from their dire circumstances by Indians, Greathouse finds treatment for his wounds, while Corbett manages to acquire the services of the village outcast as a tracker.

Soon the adversaries are pursuing each other through the wilderness. A portrayal of a deadly serious and horrific game, this part of the book is real entertainment. Particularly, the few settlers who make their homes in the area have the gruesome misfortune of meeting Mister Slaughter, and we, the readers, finally see the fiend revealed. There’s also a night-time battle between the killer, Corbett and his guide, which is especially thrilling.

As the chase moves ever closer to civilization, Corbett, who has a secret he feels makes him responsible for the killer’s escape, experiences a gradual breakdown of his mental and physical abilities. It would seem that Mister Slaughter is unstoppable.

Corbett is poised on the brink of defeat when the two come upon a small village, so he plays his one last card: a name he remembers. In doing so, the young investigator stumbles across a connection between Mister Slaughter and a local business woman. While this puts him back on the killer’s trail, it also brings Corbett into greater conflict with the chilling Professor Fell.

The final meeting of Corbett and Mister Slaughter involves so many disturbing and complicated story lines, one has no choice but to rip through the pages of this unique and gritty thriller in order to find out if the horror being suggested is actually true.

Mister Slaughter is Robert McCammon doing what he does best. His descriptive abilities take us back to a world that is a composite of 30 some years of development in New York City (1700-1730). His characters, always larger than life and ever so quirky, never cease to entertain. And his story is complicated enough that Matthew Corbett can proudly stand shoulder to shoulder with Sherlock Holmes or Hercule Poirot.

I noticed another reviewer complaining about McCammon’s overuse of cliffhangers (based on wordplay) in Mister Slaughter. I say the same thing to this critic as I did to the one who criticized the author’s over-the-top approach to character development in The Wolf’s Hour. It’s good to see a writer having fun and playing with his audience. McCammon’s willingness to play and experiment in his writing happens to be one of the reasons I’m a fan. Good for you, sir. And I hope to see much more from you in the future.


Copyright © Clayton Clifford Bye 2009

To Inherit a Murderer (The Ward) by E. J. Reuk

To Inherit a Murderer (Book 1, The Ward)
by E. J. Ruek
Published by smashwords
Thriller
302 pages
eBook

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The Author

E. J. Ruek writes  “contemporary mainstream novels with just a nod of nerve-tingling what-if possibility.”

“In life,” the author says “things are not always as they seem — not on the surface and not underneath. I like that. I like to write about that. Your auntie might not be that nice lady you always thought she was. In fact, she might be nicer. If fact, she might have hidden knowledge that you never dreamed someone like her could harbor, much less use. She has secrets, and those secrets drive the neighbors crazy, because they just “know” that something isn’t quite as “normal” as it should be. …And it isn’t.”

“You just never know. You can never assume. Because, when you do, things happen.”


The Book

Both parents dead, William is to be raised by his mother’s friend Deborah Rheinhart–even though she suspects the twelve-year-old is a murderer.

Injured by the rage-driven boy on his first day at her home, Deborah’s reclusive and very private life is turned upside down. Her hired “chaperones” are forced to turn her beautiful ranch into a prison. Even Deborah’s activities become restricted.

A portrait of high-end ranch life and the “prestigious world” of Grand Prix show jumping, The Ward by E. J. Ruek is also the story of a woman dedicated to understanding and teaching her inherited child, despite how evil he seems to be.  Determined to make William earn companionship and privileges by actions, Deborah puts herself directly in the path of a force so destructive she may very well be the next victim on a growing list of strange deaths and injuries.


The Review

To Inherit a Murderer (Book 1, The Ward) is my first time reading the fiction of E. J. Reuk. I am, however, familiar with the author’s blogging, book reviews and editorials, and I’ve come to expect quality in all. Reuk’s fiction does not disappoint.

Reuk is up there with the best. Crisp, balanced prose. A unique, well-told story. And a protagonist and antagonist the reader won’t be able to get enough of. I’m thrilled The Ward is just the first book in a series.

Will appeal to: thriller buffs, horror fans, those who lean toward the paranormal.

What I didn’t like: the story bogged down a bit during a rather lengthy visit to the world of horse jumping.

Final comment?  The Ward is the reason I keep sifting through the galaxy of small and independent publishers; the novel is unique, and it’s very good.

Copyright © Clayton Clifford Bye 2009