James MorcanCritiques

Anno 2020 by James Morcan

A story of how people are coping with lock downs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Masterly told through alternating chapters in different countries across the world. People with different opinions, demographics, nationalities and religions communicate remotely with each other. A they face the virus each one is dealing with personal issues as well. I really enjoyed Anno 2020 and highly recommend to all.

Engaging Plot

Assigning the appropriate number of stars for the book was difficult.

I loved the story line. The characters were diverse and on point. The flow was smooth and the segues natural.

However, the book needs editing. The many typos and unnecessary chapters at the end need to be fixed as they made reading difficult and drug the story out longer than necessary.

But, I’m all about the story. There’s no faking the tension between ethnic groups or a corrupt government. The clandestine mission unfolding within these pages quickly captured my interest and held to the end. I love the thought of an international group wanting to see rights wronged - even through the use of deniable assets.

I look forward to reading book 2 in the Dogon Initiative series.

Debunking Holocaust Denial Theories by James Morgan is a fact filled book about a horrible time in our history. I don't know how anyone with even 2 brain cells could deny the Holocaust! This book is packed with facts, pictures, and quotes. It really is a tear- jerker of a book. It's sad that genocide is not over even after the Him look at Rowanda, and Camp 22.

I really enjoyed this book. Sebastian, or Nine as he is referred to throughout most of the book, is a genetically modified human raised at the Pedemont Orphanage with 22 other orphans. This is not a real orphanage but a laboratory run by the Omega group. They are trained by the secretive Omega group to be chameleons, fighters, assassins and whatever else they need. When Nine decides he wants to be free and have his own life, he puts himself and mistakenly Isabelle at risk. I was hooked from the beginning in a plot that is all too believable. I will need to read the next two books in this trilogy.

VACCINE SCIENCE REVISITED: Are Childhood Immunizations As Safe As Claimed?
by James Morcan & Lance Morcan

A fact based book on vaccines, unbiased and truthful with extensive research by the Authors. It tells how each vaccine is made, what ingredients goes in them, what additives are added in them, and why (additives) go into them. Also tells of some of the possible side effects, with percentage of actual (documented) rare occurrences, and the myths of common vaccines.

Overall I found the book informative, interesting and a good read. I liked the research that went into this, and some of the new things I have learned about vaccines. A must read (for all).

Well, it took me over a year to finish this book, but I stuck it out. It was interesting enough, but moved slowly and was in need of a good edit to cut repetition. It's much longer than it needs to be and very violent. I think it picked up a bit towards the end or maybe I was finally invested enough in the story and characters by then to care more about finding out what would happen to them.

Less of a book and more of a long-winded high school essay, The Catcher in the Rye Enigma spends more time rehashing Project Paperclip and MK-ULTRA information, supplying lengthy quotes from other books (as well as the author's novel about brainwashed teen assassins), and cataloging popular culture references to Catcher in the Rye. When a description of your research involves describing an episode of a Jesse Ventura TV show, you might want to expand your research beyond a Google search. And why, pray tell, am I looking at a picture of Axl Rose in my conspiracy book? Amateurish and written in a casual tone that would get you laughed out of a TED Talk, this is only a reasonable primer on the Catcher in the Rye conspiracy theories if you've never heard of conspiracy theories before.

Silent Fear (A novel inspired by true crimes) by Lance & James Morcan

Detective Valerie Crowther is investigating the murder of a student at a University for the deaf in London, England. Add to it there is an outbreak of a deadly flu which causes a quarantine. Soon more students end up killed, looking like at the hand of a serial killer. Then detective Valerie becomes a target and her life is in danger.

The story moves at a steady pace, with attention to detail, bringing you into the world of the hearing impaired. It is frightening to hear of murder, but to be deaf, that (to me) enhances the fear. Also knowing this was based on a true event made it even more disturbing. Overall I found Silent Fear to be a fantastic murder/mystery/thriller. I highly recommend to all.

The Ninth Orphan by Lance and James Morcan is a book that drew me in instantly. From the introduction of the orphans as children, to the nail biting, how will it all end, ending, I was engrossed in this story.

The book begins with the twenty-three young orphans hiking through the woods with a single adult. The young orphan number nine is called upon to shoot a deer the group stumbles upon. He is handed the rifle and is tasked with ending the creature’s misery, but there is a problem. He is unable to take the lethal shot as he empathizes with the pain the creature is feeling.

The story then jumps several years into the future and focuses on a now grown orphan number nine. This is a story that has it all. The pages fly by as the reader is submersed in a suspense filled story, with plenty of action and many surprises.

I would highly recommend this to anyone who is looking for a quick read that will not disappoint. This is the perfect introductory story in a trilogy, and I will soon be buying the other two. I would give this book 5 out of 5 stars. Well done, James and Lance. Well done.

I like this book because it´s short (as opposed to this review), simply and clearly written, and addresses an engrossing subject.

Throughout the book the authors refer to their thriller series, The Orphan Trilogy, in which the lead character, Nine, and the other orphans are trained to have genius intelligence.

Previously, we believed that genius was solely a matter of being born with superior genes, but now we realize that genes can be both activated and deactivated, and through the “new” science of neuroplasticity our brains can be changed and much improved by the formation of new neural pathways.

We learn about “polymaths” – “geniuses in a wide variety of fields”, one notable example being Leonardo da Vinci, and polyglots, persons with the ability to master multiple languages; we´re also instructed about the power of the subconscious. “Every genius throughout history – Tesla, Einstein, Da Vinci – tapped into the infinite power of their subconscious minds.”

Learning is much more effective when brainwaves such as alpha, gamma, theta and delta are activated, which occurs when subjects are “laughing, daydreaming, meditation, singing, dancing or spontaneously moving about”.

There are chapters on speed-reading, brainwave entrainment, brain gland activation, polyglots and savants, virtual reality, superluminal particles, Ormus, sensory deprivation, the high-IQ diet, smart drugs, etc, etc.

The authors state that a common goal in most brainwave entrainment technologies is hemispheric synchronization. This is the harmonization of the right and left hemispheres of the brain; “ --- when individuals have both hemispheres operating in similar brainwaves like this they are far more likely to learn and digest new information.”

They refer to Dr. Patrick Flanagan´s Neurophone which “is currently being sold as an aid to speed learning”. I would complement this by recommending Bill Harris´s Holosync technology, which I myself have been using for about a couple of years; this system is marketed as having the same effects as meditation, only eight times more powerful. Holosync forms new neural pathways in the brain and gradually develops and heals us both mentally and emotionally. Using Holosync leads to awareness, and awareness leads to choice, so we don´t keep doing the same harmful things automatically and unconsciously.

Holosync leads to transformation of the personality as a whole. We learn self-reflective observation, where we watch our consciousness. Harris indicates that the programme also leads to awakening since its various levels are called “Awakening” 1, 2 and so on. He doesn´t promise that we will achieve genius intelligence, though he himself does seem to have become pretty smart; anyway, I would affirm that spiritual development is even more important. Newberg & Waldman in their book “How enlightenment changes the brain” state “self-reflective observation and awareness activates (sic) structures in the brain directly associated with Enlightenment and transformation.

The book under review deals of course with genius intelligence and not enlightenment, so please excuse my digression.

In the chapter on brain gland activation we are informed about Transcranial direct current stimulation, or TDCS, which “enhances motor skills, memory recall, and concentration”.

In this connection, I would refer to Dr. Norman Doidge´s two books on the brain (see the end of the review for details), which introduce us to many exciting and transformational items of technology such as K-lasers, LED lights, and the PoNS (Portable Neuromodulation Stimulator) which are currently healing severely brain-injured persons and transforming them from “idiots” to highly intelligent persons, potentially geniuses.

Some people seem to be born geniuses, but the authors point out that many of these have been exposed to special brain-training techniques in infancy/childhood.

Mentioned in the book are the famous tennis champions Venus and Serena Williams, who were trained by their father, Richard, from an early age with the explicit aim of making them tennis geniuses. Here, I would draw attention to the three Hungarian girls, Zsuzsa, Zsófia and Judit Polgár, who were deliberately trained by their dad, László, to be chess prodigies. He believed “geniuses are made, not born”. The middle sister, Zsófia, became an IM (International Master), the eldest Zsuzsa, became women´s world champion, while the youngest, Judit, became a GM (Grandmaster) at 15, and the best woman chess player of all time. She was in the top 10 (of all players, both women and men) until she had her two children (babies do take up a lot of one´s time and energy!), and in 2012 was still in the top 100. “She didn´t bother competing for the women´s world championship because she could have won it in her sleep.” (Stephen Moss)

The information on superluminal particles was new to me. We are told that “consciousness is a field of superluminal matter belonging to the true fundamental universe and --- our world is merely a subliminal holographic projection of it”.

Dr. Takaaki Musha claims that the superluminal field connects individuals with the “outer field of the universe”. “ --- he contends this may explain human consciousness as well as the collective mind of Mankind.”

Decoherence is explained to us. This measures the time to maintain the quantum coherence between particles. “If the decoherence time is long in an individual´s brain, it permits the person to connect to the outer superluminal field easily”.

The relevance of all this is that Dr.Musha believes that decoherence time can be extended by mental training, whereby abilities like photographic memory and polymathing could result.

I admit I found the chapter on superluminal particles quite challenging.

An important chapter is that on Ormus, aka Orme or White Gold. Ormus is said to be a “secret method used to increase intelligence”. It balances both hemispheres of the brain and permits “whole brain learning”.

Ormus contains both gold and a number of other metals existing in the m-state – an unusual high spin state of matter where metals “don´t form bonds or crystals but remain single atoms”.

Ormus is said to correct errors in the DNA and activate junk DNA (which is not junk at all, of course, in fact the opposite).

Neither had I heard of midbrain activation, which is achieved by the equal use of the right and left sides of the brain.

The authors state that millions of children in India, China, Malaysia and Singapore go to schools that specialize in activating the pupils´ midbrains. “Such radical learning institutions are reportedly churning out geniuses by the veritable truckload” – Exciting!

In short, this book is well-written and absorbing; it introduces us to little-known information that will help us develop our brains and thus move towards genius intelligence. Highly recommended!

Additional reading: “The brain that changes itself” and “The brain´s way of healing” by Norman Doidge, M.D. How enlightenment changes the brain by Andrew Newberg + Mark Waldman

Ever since Journey to the Centre of the Earth was published, people have wondered whether there could exist secret underground cities/bases/tunnels/civilisations (and Hollow Earth theories may have even preceded). Having read about most every conspiracy theory going, I’m not new to the idea of there being secret underground places, but it’s one area that I’ve never actually read much about to make an informed opinion. The idea of a splinter civilisation with underground cities certainly sounds like a work by Jules Verne, but could there be some truth to this?

The authors of Underground Bases do a great job of presenting the key facts and theories surrounding the notions. Firstly, you have underground bases that are absolute fact, such as: Mount Weather, Cheyenne Mountain and Pine Gap. Then you have very likely things like there being secret underground levels beneath The Pentagon. So when it comes to contemplating outlandish ideas like there being whole underground cities, with high speed transport in vast tunnels, the idea doesn’t sound quite as preposterous as it may have done out of the blue. ‘They’ have the money (trillions of dollars that went missing from government funds, for instance), ‘they’ have the machinery, and ‘they’ have the workers, so isn’t it logical to suppose that elite controllers of the world would create vast underground bases/cities if they could?

This isn’t always just speculation either. The authors of this book give some great examples of whistle blowers, leaks and reports. There are quotes from top military personnel as well as people who have apparently worked in these underground cities.

This book also touches upon the many rumours that aliens are secretly ruling our planet from below the surface. I particularly found the story of Philip Schneider to be compelling. He “claimed to have been involved in a firefight that broke out with extra-terrestrials while he was building additions to the underground military base at Dulce, New Mexico, in 1979”. Schneider also claimed that the alien technology being developed underground was 1200 years in advance of our own technology. That makes you think. Schneider even had alien fossils and classified photos that he showed at lectures. But they’ve since disappeared, and Schneider himself (after stating there had been numerous attempts to kill him by government agents) died mysteriously.

So, from natural cave formations, to factual military bases, to rumours of underground networked cities, to aliens living beneath our feet, this book does a good job of showing how after a) is proved, it’s no longer so fanciful to believe that b) may be true.

I loved this quote in the book: “According to our best estimates, more than half of all U.S. government records are classified. For an archivist seeking to preserve and understand our history, that means most of our history is kept secret from us, think about that for a moment.” –Richard Dolan.

The book also asks you to consider this statement made by Daniel K. Inouye, US Senator from Hawaii, in his testimony at the 1987 Iran-Contra Hearings: “There exists a shadowy government, with its own Air Force, its own Navy, its own fundraising mechanism, and the ability to pursue its own ideas of national interest, free from all checks and balances, and free from the law itself.” Where better to hide it, than under your feet?

For me, this sixth book in The Underground Knowledge series is the most important one, alongside the preceding book ‘International Banksters’, which it feels like it goes hand in hand with. There’s a lot of hard facts in these two books and the authors don’t shy away from telling it how it is.

This quote from Ron Paul which is included in the book sums up how things are – and what Bankrupting The Third World is all about: “Western governments tax their citizens to fund the World Bank, lend this money to corrupt Third World dictators who abscond with the funds, and then demand repayment which is extracted through taxation from poor Third World citizens, rather than from the government officials responsible for the embezzlement. It is in essence a global transfer of wealth from the poor to the rich. Taxpayers around the world are forced to subsidize the lavish lifestyles of Third World dictators and highly-paid World Bank bureaucrats who don’t even pay income tax.”

It’s pretty damn clear to me that this is how things work in essence, and this book does a great job of giving some great examples of how the so-called Third World is hustled by the ruling global financial elite. This isn’t in the realms of conspiracy theories – all you have to do is follow the money trails.

There are a lot of books out there about this sort of stuff, and I did feel that this one didn’t contain enough information, but it does outline the cons of bankrupting poor nations in clear and precise terms so that any reader can grasp this important information easily.

UNDERGROUND BASES: Subterranean Military Facilities and the Cities Beneath Our Feet by James Morcan & Lance Morcan

In the seventh Underground series the possibility of rumored and confirmed underground facilitates in the United States and around the world. Well researched with some quotes from Government officials, rare photos, and information discovered.

The Authors find that underground facilities and possible cities may be more probable than most people think. From information obtained by former military and "Whistle-blowers" this possibility does not seem so far fetched.

A very compelling story which really left me wondering. In an ever changing society, there are many possibilities that years ago seemed unlikely. The thought about these underground facilities now seem ever more probable and leaves me wondering how much more is being hidden that I (we) just don't know about. I highly recommend UNDERGROUND BASES: Subterranean Military Facilities and the Cities Beneath Our Feet.

BANKRUPTING THE THIRD WORLD: How the Global Elite Drown Poor Nations in a Sea of Debt (The Underground Knowledge Series, #6) by James Morcan & Lance morcan

This book questions whether the likes of the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the United States Agency for International Development and other big international aid organizations help or hinder the world’s poorest people.

The Authors have researched a few third world countries and digs deep into the funding received by the United States and other countries. Some of the findings may be a bit shocking to readers.

I felt this book was very knowledgeable, with a lot of references and research that was put into this book (and explained on the pages). Also questioned whether the aid packages provided are genuine or whether they are scams designed to subjugate Third World countries.

Overall I found this BANKRUPTING THE THIRD WORLD: How the Global Elite Drown Poor Nations in a Sea of Debt interesting, thought provoking and controversial. It definitely left me wondering what really goes on that we don't know about. I highly recommend to all.

THE UNDERGROUND KNOWLEDGE SERIES I-V by James Morcan & Lance Morcan

Book 1; GENIUS INTELLIGENCE: Secret Techniques and Technologies to Increase IQ
The brain is a complex organ that basically controls every aspect of our body. I found this book quite fascinating and very thought provoking. It was insightful and really left me with a lot to think about.

Book 2; ANTIGRAVITY PROPULSION: Human or Alien Technologies?
The book is well written and researched. I found the photos and (photos) of articles intriguing, compelling, shocking and last, thought provoking. I was never one to believe in aliens, UFO's or anything of that nature.

But after reading this, I am open minded and am beginning to wonder how much has been kept secret from society. It now has crossed my mind that there very well is truth in this theory, and the possibility of a government cover up seems more probable than improbable.

Book 3; MEDICAL INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX: The $ickness Industry, Big Pharma and Suppressed Cures
A very fascinating, thought-provoking and controversial read. I highly recommend to all (Especially American's). Very informative, well researched, you really start to wonder about the pharmaceutical companies in society today!

Book 4; THE CATCHER IN THE RYE ENIGMA: J.D. Salinger’s Mind Control Triggering Device or a Coincidental Literary Obsession of Criminals?
I found this read very thought provoking, interesting and a bit frightening. It did leave me wondering. The theories do seem plausible, I have read before of "mind control" tactics used during WWII. So the questions still remain did the book have a negative affect on some (possibly) mentally unstable men who became assassins?

Overall this is a fascinating read, which has left an impression in my mind. It makes me wonder what goes on in society that we just do not hear about on the news etc. I recommend to those who love a great read, with the possibility of mind control/conspiracy theories.

Book 5; INTERNATIONAL BANKSTER$: The Global Banking Elite Exposed and the Case for Restructuring Capitalism
A very insightful account of the banking industry across the globe. Very delicate and controversial topics are approached. Some of the information I found appealing, yet this entire topic is fascinating.

I do agree with the final statement of the Authors; "Governments around the world continue to bail out privately-owned banking institutions ahead of rescuing the millions of citizens facing bankruptcy and eviction from their homes". I feel this is something that can be prevented if people were more aware of what is truly going on around the world. A must read.

The Catcher in the Rye Enigma: J.D. Salinger's Mind Control Triggering Device or a Coincidental Literary Obsession of Criminals? BY James Morcan

This is the fourth installment of the underground knowledge series. It takes a look at the popular book; The catcher in the Rye By J.D. Salinger. The Authors have done extensive research and have found that some of Americas most notorious assassins/killers were found reading/or had read and quoted some passages of the book.

They also dig deep and show some possible mind control elements (possibly) in the book (The Catcher in the Rye). They explain this theory and also go a bit into the background of the famous Author (J.D. Salinger).

I found this read very thought provoking, interesting and a bit frightening. It did leave me wondering. The theories do seem plausible, I have read before of "mind control" tactics used during WWII. So the questions still remain did the book have a negative affect on some (possibly) mentally unstable men who became assassins?

Overall this is a fascinating read, which has left an impression in my mind. It makes me wonder what goes on in society that we just do not hear about on the news etc. I recommend to those who love a great read, with the possibility of mind control/conspiracy theories.

Into the Americas (A novel based on a true story) By Lance Morcan

Based on a true story (by the diary) of English blacksmith John Jewitt during his time aboard The Boston and during his time at Nootka Sound, on North America's Western seaboard (from 1802 to 1805).

Nineteen year old John Jewitt is one of only two survivors after his crew mates clash with the Mowachaht tribe in the Pacific Northwest. They are held as slaves by Maquina, the Mowachat Chief. They make several attempts to escape.

John falls in love with Eu-Stochee, a beautiful Indian. When John learns Eu-Stochee is pregnant he must choose between returning to civilization or staying with her and their newborn son.

A fascinating story of one young mans courageous voyage. Well written with attention to detail, we really get the feel of what young John went through. The characters are based on real people, which adds to the intense drama. The dialog and events are true to that era.

Overall I greatly enjoyed Into the Americas and highly recommend to readers of all genres, especially those who like history. I feel Young Adults will enjoy this read as well. A true five star read. I also like the cover, it is beautiful and represents the story with flare.

MEDICAL INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX: The $ickness Industry, Big Pharma and Suppressed Cures (The Underground Knowledge Series, #3)
by James Morcan (Goodreads Author), Lance Morcan (Goodreads Author), Denis Toovey (Contributor)
1909602
Sheri Wilkinson's review May 28, 15 · edit
5 of 5 stars
Read from May 27 to 28, 2015

MEDICAL INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX: The $ickness Industry, Big Pharma and Suppressed Cures (The Underground Knowledge Series #3)

by James & Lance Morcan

"MEDICAL INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX asks some hard questions. Is your doctor one of those who receives kickbacks from pharmaceutical companies? How dangerous are our hospitals for patients? Do the drug companies make drugs or money? Is vaccinating children the smart thing for parents to do? Do you know the medical tests that may kill you? Are cures really being suppressed? What’s the solution regarding private health insurance? Who is quashing alternative medicines? When did your doctor last talk to you about your diet?"

A fascinating an informative read. A lot of research went into this book (on the topics mentioned above). It gives the reader some serious issues to think about. Some of the information I had already read about. Others I learned from this book.

I have to say that I do agree with the authors on this topic, and feel that everyone is in control of their body. That everyone has the right to say no to treatment, tests, surgery, medications. Also I feel (along with the Authors) that if in doubt get a second opinion, maybe even a third.

I am a Chronically ill person with an incurable disease (Crohn's) so MEDICAL INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX: The $ickness Industry, Big Pharma and Suppressed Cures hit "close to home with me. I do admit that I always have done a lot of research before a procedure, surgery, medications, and have declined certain tests and medications.

In doing so I did NOT offend my doctor. After all Doctors are people and it is their job to try to do the best they can to help a patient. Like all careers and businesses there are dishonest people, Doctors are not exempt from corruption, although most (in my experience) are honest and trust worthy.

A very fascinating, thought-provoking and controversial read. I highly recommend to all (Especially American's).

ANTIGRAVITY PROPULSION: Human or Alien Technologies? By James & Lance Morcan

This book includes never before mentioned accounts of popular UFO topics like Area 51, Roswell and alien abduction claims. Also subjects such as Nazi and Japanese antigravity experiments and rare theories involving quantum physics and lost civilizations of the ancients.

The book is well written and researched. I found the photos and (photos) of articles intriguing, compelling, shocking and last, thought provoking. I was never one to believe in aliens, UFO's or anything of that nature.

But after reading this, I am open minded and am beginning to wonder how much has been kept secret from society. It now has crossed my mind that there very well is truth in this theory, and the possibility of a government cover up seems more probable than improbable.

I highly recommend ANTIGRAVITY PROPULSION: Human or Alien Technologies? to those who are curious about the unexplained (Aliens, UFO's, cover-ups)and science. A definite 5 star read! I feel should be on everyone's TBR list.

GENIUS INTELLIGENCE: Secret Techniques and Technologies to Increase IQ
by James Morcan & Lance Morcan

Some people have wondered what if there are faster and easier ways to learn? This book challenges the myth that geniuses are born not developed. It also tells how extraordinarily smart people are developed by using brain enhancing technologies.

We learn that some famous people such as Steve Jobs, Albert Einstein & Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart(to name a few) have achieved their intelligence through and altered state of mind. We also hear how we can use certain techniques to increase our own intelligence.

The brain is a complex organ that basically controls every aspect of our body. I found this book quite fascinating and very thought provoking. It was insightful and really left me with a lot to think about.

I feel that readers (with the love of learning) will greatly enjoy GENIUS INTELLIGENCE: Secret Techniques and Technologies to Increase IQ. I really enjoyed this fascinating read.

This is a great action packed conspiracy thriller trilogy which is well worth reading. Genetically modified, superior orphans, who are known by numbers rather than by names, have been raised by the shadowy Omega Agency, but one of the orphans realises he wants out.

This is predominantly the story of Nine, who tries to escape. As a master of disguise and an expert in most fields, he uses his training to flee the orphanage and begin a new life. But things are never simple.

Each book in this trilogy has its own flavour, but each also includes the same ingredients: exotic locations, disturbing experiments, well defined characters, fast paced action and real conspiracy facts mixed in with the fiction.

The second book was my favourite, but all three grabbed my attention from the word go. It’s well worth investing some time in this trilogy. Let’s hope the film version is made soon.

This final instalment of the Orphan trilogy doesn’t disappoint. From the word go, the action’s off and doesn’t stop. All the necessary ingredients for a great thriller are here: exotic locations that would give James Bond a run for his money, page turning chapters, despicable crimes and high level conspiracy.

In The Orphan Uprising, Nine has finally gone off grid and got himself a family, but when the shadowy Omega organisation kidnap his son, Nine is forced back into his unwanted world of guns, disguises, quick thinking and combat training. And in this last book of the series, Nine finds himself up against his fellow orphan operatives, and who seem to be being picked off one by one…
In the process of trying to locate his five year old son, Nine has plenty of gripping adventures – and it looks like he might even manage to take down the Omega Agency in the process.

There were the odd things that didn’t work for me – I felt some parts could have been weightier, such as the MKUltra deprogramming, and I felt the epilogue was unnecessary, but only because the story ends on such a perfect and pivotal point – which actually managed to move me a little.

What I like about this trilogy is that each book follows the same ingredients but has a different flavour, and its own identity. And in the sub-stories we find that these books aren’t really about kills and thrills. They’re much more about the love of family and the cycle of life.

Can’t wait to see the movie version.

This is the first volume of The Orphan Trilogy, and the only volume as yet available as a physical book. I look forward to reading Volumes 2 + 3, when they also appear in physical form.

An organization called the Omega Agency have “bred” a series of “orphans” with superior genes and trained them from birth to be cold and cynical assassins. They have been assigned numbers instead of names (presumably) to depersonalize them.

The book relates the story of the most gifted of these orphans, Nine. He has made the decision to flee the organization, find out who he really is, and make a life of his own where the Agency cannot find him.

The two leaders of Omega, Kentbridge, who had been a father figure for Nine, and Naylor, are hot on his trail, together with a female orphan, Seventeen, who had always been envious of Nine´s favoured position and wishes to “terminate” him.

Nine arranges the sale to the Chinese of a valuable treasure in order to finance his future secluded life on a distant island. However he finds himself obliged to take with him a desirable Frenchwoman, Isabelle, who inadvertently learns of his destination. He cannot bring himself to kill her and thus must drag her with him as he flees.

Nine´s escape is aided by his amazing talent for assuming innumerable disguises, as taught him by the Agency.

The book distinguishes itself by its not only being an exceedingly readable page-turner of a thriller but also being one in which the protagonist is portrayed not just superficially, as is the general rule in such books, but as a more fully rounded character, a young man who is attempting to become a normal person, despite his more than tainted upbringing.

He begins his first real relationship with Isabelle, and his feelings for her are reciprocated.

This is a work of fiction, but figures and organizations from real life, such as the notorious Bilderberg Group, are mentioned. Various aspects of life we are aware of from “conspiracy theories”, such as mind control, form part of the book´s content.

I hope that the main theme of the book, that of the existence of these trained orphan assassins, is fiction, but it would not surprise me if it were not.

The book is well-written, and is a joy to read, though the authors should perhaps brush up their basic French skills.

I strongly recommend that you read this thrilling and illuminating book.

In the notes after the novel Into the Americas, the authors mention that John Jewitt's experiences on Vancouver Island in the very early 1800's were widely unknown. I had spent some weeks in Vancouver and visited the Native American museum in the area but never knew about John Jewitt. A quick internet search brought up his diaries and then there was information about the chief Maquina under that Native American history. So after being somewhat stunned at the first chapters of the book, I was eager to read it, knowing more about its historical background.

Even though this is an almost unbelievable ordeal of two white men, enslaved for two years by a Vancouver Island tribe, the authors anchored the story in facts about the Indians and their way of life so that I could soon see the events and the people involved. John Jewitt and Thompson both had beneficial skills to teach the Indians, and their relationship, both hostile and cooperating, was well developed along with the motives of the chief and his relatives. That John had "survived to tell" the events is an amazing thing. The authors amazingly could imagine details that felt convincing. The escape attempts seemed true to the landscape and the resources available. The tribal war was gory but the story was from the perspective of those enslaved to kill which made the scenes real rather than gratuitous.

Although some of the dialogue seemed couched in today's language, that translated. Thompson was a seasoned sailor with much salty reaction to his plight. John was not twenty-years-old, and his being forced into a marriage with a woman attractive to him was handled with insight.

This is a story of action however the action does come out of personalities. It was horrifying at times while the desperation and the despair of John and Thompson during their daily work mounted to a suspenseful telling. During this, tribal politics also came from a few key personalities. I liked reading about the chief and his first wife, Wakish, when he had other wives, and his challenger, Peshwar. That all made the ending even more dynamic, when the chief Maquina was held in the ship until the white men were released.

The notes were very helpful at the end. I had to wonder what was imagined and what were the facts that the authors had for their novel. I was satisfied with what was imparted about that and felt that this novel was an excellent historical, and one that needed to be written.

You might have heard the story: Mark David Chapman (John Lennon’s killer) was obsessed with The Catcher in the Rye. Just after he’d shot Lennon, he stood there calmly reading the novel. Then you have John W. Hinckley Jr. (who tried to assassinate Ronald Reagan)- a copy of Salinger’s book was found at his hotel room. Not to mention other ‘coincidental’ incidents. Well, seeing as 95% of people seem to have read Catcher in the Rye, you might think it’s a big leap of imagination to see any meaning in speculative connections; but when it’s put in context with such things as Nazi mind control, project MK Ultra and sleeper assassins, the threads begin to tie up a bit more.

This book doesn’t just explore ideas like trigger codes for mind controlled assassins being contained within the pages of Catcher, it also looks at broader aspects of mind control use. For anyone new to either the Catcher in the Rye enigmas or to things like Project Paperclip and secret CIA experiments, this is a great book to start off with.

Despite the inclusion of broader aspects being much needed, I couldn’t help but feel like there should have been a lot more about the actual Catcher book and J. D. Salinger- don’t get me wrong; there’s some great info about both here- but I just wanted more. I guess I was just hoping for some actual code breaking! –although the authors of this book do manage to quote many passages from The Catcher in the Rye which most certainly gets one thinking in ‘code meaning’, such as:

“This is a people shooting hat,” I said. “I shoot people in this hat.”

“It's funny. All you have to do is say something nobody understands and they'll do
practically anything you want them to.”