Official Review: The Shaman Cycle by George Moore
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- mmm17
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Official Review: The Shaman Cycle by George Moore
The Shaman Cycle, written by George Moore, is a story full of magic and symbolism; it revolves around fundamental themes like death, reincarnation, souls, spirits, and consciousness. John Sackleton, the protagonist, is a history professor. The antagonist, Philippe Milieu, stalks him because he believes that Sackleton rose from the dead in Bucharest many years ago. Milieu drugs and kidnaps the protagonist, who goes through a revelatory experience of self-discovery throughout the book. Sackleton realizes that he lives in two worlds, and he resorts to ancient shamanic wisdom to make sense of his predicament.
What I liked the most about this imaginative story was its rhythm and how the narrative shifts back and forth from the past to the present. The author does this in a balanced and creative manner. I enjoyed how the protagonist embarks on a journey of memories as he slowly starts to remember past experiences that initially seemed to be just ordinary dreams. I particularly appreciated the part where he sees himself living among villagers of a Siberian tribe. There’s also a beautiful love story that the author weaves well. I liked the portrayal of Sackleton’s experiences and deep connection to a shaman named Kawt. The author skillfully develops their love and how they use the shaman’s path to follow one another across time.
Additionally, the author interestingly explores ancient legends and beliefs. For instance, what we call hypnosis today comes from Hindu and pre-Muslim Persian sources. Several ancient Greek myths get explored, such as Hypnos, Morpheus, Thanatos (sleep, dreams, death), who were brothers in the works of Ovid.
On the other hand, while I had no problem with the paranormal bits, I felt that some of the ordinary events that happened in the present were too farfetched. The protagonist’s heart stops a few times while the antagonist holds him captive and heavily drugged. Miraculously, though, an anthropologist and a historian easily manage to shock him back to life. These unlikely medical situations detracted a little from my enjoyment of the book. I felt that the plot would be better without them.
In closing, I rate The Shaman Cycle 3 out of 4 stars. I’m subtracting a star from the rating due to the implausible situations previously mentioned. Other than that, though, the book is an entertaining read, and it seems professionally edited. I would recommend it to readers who are interested in altered states of consciousness. If you are bothered by unorthodox views of life and death, you might not like it.
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The Shaman Cycle
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- Maríe Wamakima
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- Starling99
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This part of your review made me laugh! I totally know what you mean...it's ok to have unbelievable and unlikely things happen in a story as long as it is plausible in the context it's in.
Really liked your review.
- Kavita Shah
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Good Review.