KIRKUS REVIEW RECOMMENDATION 2016 A professor and parapsychology researcher discovers a key to mankind's evolution or destruction in this debut thriller. Beau Walker is a man without a field. Teaching at a backwater university after being dismissed from a government project because of his ethical concerns and bureaucratic maneuvers on the part of a one-time friend, Walker is an academic pariah until two soldiers appear one day. His former friend needs Walker's expertise, and the professor--who is haunted by both his empathic abilities and the memory of the one time they failed him--has little choice but to cooperate. In the Russian city of Podol'sk, a project partially based on Walker's work has gone horribly awry, killing thousands and leaving traces of mysteries that threaten humanity's scientific understanding. Discovering what occurred, and how to prevent it from happening again, falls on Walker and his new friends, who are initially perplexed (in a meeting Walker confesses, "There's something I can't grasp, like trying to grab a slippery ball in a swimming pool. Always just out of reach"). But as secrets and revelations accumulate, the team's combined knowledge and abilities maybe inadequate to stop what's coming. Throughout the investigation, Walker, a complex intellectual, struggles with the duality of his heritage--African-American mother, Mohawk father--as well as the divide between the rigorous scientific experiments in neurophysiology and psycho pharmacology, and the intuitive, imaginative aspects of his psychological and cultural studies. Joshua writes with a sure hand, managing to squeeze in many discussions and esoteric concepts, ranging from mythic structures to neuropsychology to remote viewing, while keeping the dialogue realistic and sharp...The characters react in believable ways, even when the plot developments, which borrow from quantumphysics, anthropology, and psychology, inspire incredulity. In addition, Joshua has crafted an appealing protagonist in Walker. Short-tempered, kind, thoughtful yet impulsive, he is a flawed but ultimately heroic character, and serves as a narrative linchpin throughout this absorbing story. Deft dialogue, crisp plotting, and a likable central figure make this multidisciplinary scientific adventure an exuberant and involving read.5 stars  Lots of action, intriguing concepts, and examinations of belief systems and the greatest opportunity in human history to reshape the world...It's very highly recommended, indeed; especially for thriller and sci-fi readers who have become deluged with too much predictability and who seek cutting-edge action, believable protagonists, and action that is solidly intense throughout--The Midwest Book Review

The SHIVA Syndrome

Science Fiction & Fantasy

Joshua, Alan

Science Fiction

Champagne Books

<p>More than a scientist, more than the offspring of a Mohawk--African American interracial marriage--and far more than human, Beau Walker unknowingly holds the key to human evolution...and its obliteration. Walker, is a disgraced researcher, snatched by the government and coerced to join a U.S./Russian multidisciplinary scientific team, searching for the cause of a Russian disaster related to covert U.S. mind and biowarfare. Beginning with a terrifying descent into a Russian crater where physical laws don’t apply, he’s thrown into a world of advanced biotechnology, biowarfare, paranormal research, and military intrigue.The stakes are unimaginable: Find and control the cause of the events or face human extinction.Amazon:“Must Read Sci-Fi Thriller! Awesome!..an exciting, fast paced and fascinating novel. Paranormal, science fiction, and the next stage in human evolution.”Kirkus Review “Deft dialogue, crisp plotting, and a likable central figure make this multidisciplinary scientific adventure an exuberant and involving read.”REVIEWSBrian Allen, Editor of Phenomena Magazine, says, “Anyone who has seen the film ‘Lucy’ will get the idea, but more so... [This] is an absolute thrill ride of a book that is almost impossible to put down.”SHIVA is also recommended by Kirkus Review--“an exuberant and involving read,” Portland Book Review--“having the right amount of adventure and romance, this crisscrossing genre tale isn’t just a good read, but may also look great on a big screen,” Self-Publishing Review--“the book mixes uncommon palettes and manages a masterpiece with it. If The Andromeda Strain was analyzed in four dimensions, The SHIVA Syndrome might be the result,” Midwest Book Review-- “highly recommended, indeed; especially for thriller and sci-fi readers who have become deluged with too much predictability and who seek cutting-edge action, believable protagonists, and action that is solidly intense throughout,” and the San Francisco Book Review “Science fiction fans will love The SHIVA Syndrome. Fans of paranormal fiction, psychological thriller, philosophy and fantasy will love it, too.”Note: Please add your reviews to those above.</p>

The SHIVA Syndrome Trilogy

Literature & Fiction

Genre Fiction

Independently published

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Books by Joshua, Alan