Aldaraia

“I always love the introduction of a new series in the literary world. And this one...well, this one just increases my belief that new series and/or trilogies should enter the realm more often. If you are one of ‘me’ who hears the words ‘adventure’ and ‘professor’ and thinks of Indiana Jones in his heyday, this is the book for you. If you are one who is still to this day obsessed with Dan Brown’s magical conspiracy The Da Vinci Code—magical because it quite literally set a record for being at the top of bestseller lists for 28 weeks—then, this is also the book for you.

“Yes, this is a race against time. But not only is Jennifer a great character, and Matthew Bishop is sure to be on the big screen one day, The Book of Soyga becomes the reader’s obsession quite quickly, and allows each and every one of us to meet up with some truly unforgettable characters. One of my personal favorites is a philosopher by the name of John Dee, who just happens to focus on the occult.

“I give the author a true high-five for this novel, especially since he tells the tale by utilizing various timelines, which is difficult to do, even for the masters of the written word. The suspense is monumental, the story never slows down, and it has that magic gift of blurring the lines of the seemingly impossible with something that almost feels like it could be based on absolute truth (AKA, The Da Vinci Code).

“I was told that this author’s background is in writing but also photography. This would make sense because while reading this you can definitely see a clear ‘picture’ of the cool locations and dark moments that make the hair on the back of your neck stand at attention.”

“Aldaraia is the first engrossing entry in the Matthew Bishop series by Burt Clinchandhill and fans of conspiracy and mystery will be hooked from start to finish. ...a story that fans of Dan Brown will adore. It is cleverly plotted and the code in The Book of Soyga becomes the central ingredient in the development of the conflict. From page to page, the reader encounters characters that are sophisticated and skillfully developed—from Jennifer’s family and the experience of her father’s illness to complex characters like the occult philosopher, John Dee. The story is told in different timelines and it is fascinating how the author uses his skill to build suspense. Burt Clinchandhill is a great storyteller with a unique gift for elegant prose, great dialogues, and characters that arrest the attention of readers. The story is fast-paced and the tension ramps up pretty fast, escalating towards a delightful and explosive conclusion. It is a real page-turner for fans of mystery and I can’t wait to read the next book in this series.”

“Burt Clinchandhill takes Aldaraia to a whole new level of gripping reads, being one of those rarities where you know you will love the book after reading just a few pages. Besides the high standard of characterization, where individuals and relationships are crafted beautifully, Aldaraia extends even further by offering relevant and engaging graphics throughout. I loved the inclusion of these images and, for me, they brought me into the story most effectively and made me feel as if I was part of the investigative process. Another aspect that was first-rate was the inclusion of pertinent factual information, which I found most interesting, relating to things such as the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, the Kabbalah, the language of Enochian, and many other historical and locational gems included in Aldaraia. If you love a great adventure, mixed with a learning experience and wonderful all-round entertainment, then this is the book for you.”

“Aldaraia is a riveting ‘must-read’ for anyone who likes adventure, religious mysteries, and conspiracies similar to The Da Vinci Code. This fast-paced story is on the lighter side, but still contains all the usual mind-boggling theoretical, biblical, historical references, and riddles that make these books so exciting to read. Each chapter is about a specific time period where sufficient information on the superb characters and their intentions are provided, thus strengthening the development of the ensuing drama. Burt Clinchandhill was extremely thorough in his research as a few names, locations, and facts that I checked are accurate.”