The Dark River

From Publishers Weekly At the start of the engrossing second entry in bestseller Twelve Hawks's Fourth Realm trilogy (after The Traveler ), the Brethren continue to control civilization through a computerized information system, the Vast Machine, and a host of offshoot surveillance technologies. Opposed to the Brethren are the Travelers, an ancient clan with the mystical ability to slip in and out of several dimensions. The Travelers are guarded by Harlequins, a warrior caste with sharp swords and ferociously lethal skills. In the Cain and Abel story at the book's heart, the quest of two Travelers, brothers Gabriel and Michael Corrigan, to find their legendary father has split them irrevocably: Gabriel fights for the forces of good, Michael has turned to the dark side. A love story featuring Gabriel's beautiful, deadly but conflicted Harlequin bodyguard, Maya, adds human interest to an often superhuman tale, and Gabriel's out-of-body journey to a horrifyingly fascinating parallel world adds a particularly compelling component to a saga that's part A Wrinkle in Time , part The Matrix and part Kurosawa epic. Given the complicated plot and complex setting, readers are advised to read The Traveler first. (July) Copyright В© Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From Bookmarks Magazine To say that John Twelve Hawks-the pseudonym of the popular and reclusive author of the Fourth Realm trilogy-struggles under the burden of his success with the 2005 best seller The Traveler ( Sept/Oct 2005) might be a bit of an exaggeration. Still, The Dark River tends to lack the punch and originality of the earlier novel. True to Twelve Hawks's vision, however, the second installment has enough gee-whiz moments and intense fight scenes to keep readers going-particularly those who enjoyed the first book. Some new revelations late in The Dark River will certainly fuel the finale. Here's hoping Twelve Hawks still has a few tricks up his sleeve. Copyright В© 2004 Phillips & Nelson Media, Inc. From Publishers Weekly At the start of the engrossing second entry in bestseller Twelve Hawks's Fourth Realm trilogy (after The Traveler ), the Brethren continue to control civilization through a computerized information system, the Vast Machine, and a host of offshoot surveillance technologies. Opposed to the Brethren are the Travelers, an ancient clan with the mystical ability to slip in and out of several dimensions. The Travelers are guarded by Harlequins, a warrior caste with sharp swords and ferociously lethal skills. In the Cain and Abel story at the book's heart, the quest of two Travelers, brothers Gabriel and Michael Corrigan, to find their legendary father has split them irrevocably: Gabriel fights for the forces of good, Michael has turned to the dark side. A love story featuring Gabriel's beautiful, deadly but conflicted Harlequin bodyguard, Maya, adds human interest to an often superhuman tale, and Gabriel's out-of-body journey to a horrifyingly fascinating parallel world adds a particularly compelling component to a saga that's part A Wrinkle in Time , part The Matrix and part Kurosawa epic. Given the complicated plot and complex setting, readers are advised to read The Traveler first. (July) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From Bookmarks Magazine To say that John Twelve Hawks-the pseudonym of the popular and reclusive author of the Fourth Realm trilogy-struggles under the burden of his success with the 2005 best seller The Traveler ( Sept/Oct 2005) might be a bit of an exaggeration. Still, The Dark River tends to lack the punch and originality of the earlier novel. True to Twelve Hawks's vision, however, the second installment has enough gee-whiz moments and intense fight scenes to keep readers going-particularly those who enjoyed the first book. Some new revelations late in The Dark River will certainly fuel the finale. Here's hoping Twelve Hawks still has a few tricks up his sleeve. Copyright © 2004 Phillips & Nelson Media, Inc. Mystery,Fantasy,Thriller,Science Fiction A brilliant follow-up to the New York Times bestseller, The Traveler , The Dark River follows the Harlequin, Maya, and the Traveler, Gabriel Corrigan, on their search for Gabriel’s lost father. In his first novel, John Twelve Hawks introduced the world of two brothers, Gabriel and Michael Corrigan, who learned they were Travelers, a line of prophets through history who are able to travel into different realms of consciousness and existence, and Maya, a Harlequin who, like Harlequins before her, pledged to lay down her own life to protect any Traveler. The Dark River opens following Maya and Gabriel’s narrow escape from his brother, Michael, and the group of powerful men who have been pursuing them. The landscape has shifted: Michael has become part of the group that wants to capture Gabriel, and thanks to advanced surveillance technology there are few places for them to hide. While he is recuperating and staying in the shadows in New York City, a shocking piece of information trickles back to Gabriel concerning his and Michael’s father. A Traveler who was believed to be dead for nearly twenty years, Gabriel hears, may still be alive and trapped somewhere across the globe. Gabriel, Maya, Hollis and Vicki must plan their escape from New York as well as their path to Gabriel’s father, who has the ability to revive the failing Traveler movement. But Michael and his group of Tabula mercenaries are equally motivated to find both Gabriel and their father–for both represent an obstacle to Michael’s unchallenged power. The Dark River is a scintillating novel that, like The Traveler , is deeply and richly drawn, showcasing a superb and original voice.