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| The Dark River (Vintage) | 
 enlarge | Author: John Twelve Hawks
Publisher: Vintage
Category: Book
List Price: $7.99
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Avg. Customer Rating:  60 reviews
Sales Rank: 18290
Media: Mass Market Paperback
Edition: Reprint
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 432
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 6.8 x 4.2 x 1.4
ISBN: 0307389235
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.6
EAN: 9780307389237
ASIN: 0307389235
Publication Date: June 24, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
A shattering vision of a society where both hope and freedom are about to disappear.
Two brothers born into a race of Travelers—prophets able to journey to different realms of consciousness—have just discovered that their long lost father may still be alive. Gabriel, who could be humanity's savior, wants to protect him. Michael, however, wants to destroy his father and humanity's hope for freedom. As they race across the globe, their frantic search puts them on a collision course, and the fate of the world hangs in the balance.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 55 more reviews...
 Just Couldn't Suspend my Disbelief July 26, 2007
35 out of 51 found this review helpful
Let me start by saying that I REALLY wanted to like this novel. It (and it's predecessor `Traveler') concerns the whittling away of our personal freedoms. Internet information has become so accessible these days that virtually nothing is a secret. Combine this with the fact that more and more cameras are watching us (cell phones, computer cameras, security cams) and the ability to track anyone who owns or uses a cell phone or credit card and you realize what kind of microscope the modern individual is really under. To engage fully with society these days means wearing your whole life on your sleeve.
John Twelve Hawks (a pseudonym) takes this chilling idea and creates the story of Michael and Gabriel, two brothers who have inherited their father's ability to travel through multiple dimensions and at this point are on different sides of the good and evil paradigm. Travelers are guarded by Harlequin's who are basically amoral, neurotic Samurai that are willing to take just about any action to protect their charges including letting innocent people die if it means the continuation of the Travelers lives. The bad guys in this drama are the Brethren sort of computer, shadow-government-type-nazi's that believe that they know best and want the world to be forever under a microscope in order to guide them toward a new and peaceful society. The Brethren use a central computer called tritely "the Vast Machine".
The problems with this book (in my opinion) are many. Although there is plenty of action, the action never really takes a break. Good action stories are like good lovemaking; the author teases the reader, slowly bringing them up and then letting them down, until the reader is begging for a big explosive scene. This never happens...we don't get the down time between the action so you just end up feeling exhausted rather than exhilarated.
The second problem is really a continuation of the first. Because there is no break we never really get a chance to know and like the characters. Because there is so little character development if something terrible happens (and there's plenty of this) I just don't care because I can't relate to the characters.
The third problem that I had with this story was that nothing really happens. This is a classic problem in trilogy tales. Often times the second novel is a transitional story...it essentially connects the first and second story. This is not a new problem; Tolkien had the same problem with "The Two Towers". However, the middle book can be used to flesh out the characters, furthering the story by making them more human. Sadly this was not the case.
Twelve Hawks starts with a really important idea about our personal freedoms, but it's almost like he (she) is attempting to play in too many playgrounds....too many genre's. While the fact that Travelers can move through several dimensions is interesting I have never really found out why it is that this is so important. Why so many people want to give up their lives to either kill or protect the Travelers. Most of the Travelers 'travels' through the dimensions seem pointless at best and ridiculously dangerous at worst. Oh sure one side effect of their realm traveling abilities gives Travelers the ability to tell if others are lying, but so what...Wonder woman did that with a golden lasso and was hot (although she did have that invisible plane and that was sort of dumb. Why was it invisible anyway?).
So far this trilogy seems to me like a great concept awaiting a story. Hopefully I will forget this review by the time the third novel comes out and it will explain it all. But I doubt it.
 Excellent Sequel July 14, 2007
24 out of 28 found this review helpful
This is the second book in the fourth realm trilogy. I stated of the first book, The Traveler, that it was "the best fiction book I had read in a decade!" This book is a very close second. John Twelve Hawks weaves an unforgettable tale of suspense and drama that will draw you in and captivate you in a way that few other authors achieve. Hawks helps us to look at our world in a whole new light, and gives an entirely new meaning to the term 'Big Brother is Watching'.
This book continues a year after The Traveler finished, and once the action starts, it does not end. The action races at breakneck speed and reads like 'a post 9/11 conspiracy theory meets 1984'. Hawks shows a world where people are collectively selling their freedoms for a perceived peace or security. With a story as unique as the Matrix, and the captivating writing unlike anybody else, Hawks serves up a masterpiece.
There are four main categories of people in these books: Civilians, who go about their daily lives, Travelers who can send their life force from their body to alternate realms, The Harlequins who are trained warriors dedicated to protecting the Travelers, and finally The Brethren, as they call themselves, who wish to create a system of control over the whole world, a virtual Panopticon. This group is called, 'The Tabula', by their enemies.
The Tabula are trying to achieve their Panopticon through computer surveillance - RFID chips in what we buy and in our ID and credit cards. Their only goal is to make the human race homogeneous and dominated by the belief that they must behave a certain way because they are always being watched. For the first time in history, a Traveler, Michael Corrigan, is working with the Brethren and trying to conquer the only other surviving travelers -his brother Gabriel, and his father Matthew, who has been missing for 15 years since the Tabula attacked the family home.
Both of the brothers are searching for their long-lost father, both are trying to figure out how to use their ability as travelers, and both believe they are on the right side. Only by reading will you find out what will happen in this battle of wills and battle between light and darkness.
This is a book masterfully written that will draw in readers from all walks of life and of all ages. Read it and see if you cannot hardly wait for your friends to read it, so that you can discuss it and debate it. It will also have you looking very differently at all the cameras that capture our images hundreds of times a day.
Hawks has written another bestseller that will surprise you, stun you and amaze you, both with the story and the way it is told.
(First published in Imprint 2007-07-17 in the book review column.)
 Enjoyable, But Some Fundamental Inconsistencies Which Distract September 23, 2007
23 out of 25 found this review helpful
I have to say, I REALLY enjoyed The Traveler (Fourth Realm Trilogy, Book 1) and couldn't wait to get my hands on the sequel. Although I wasn't disappointed in the sequel, it did not meet my expectations.
Since I don't write spoilers, all I will say is that I fear the author {insert your best guess here} has painted himself into a corner where the third book may fall totally into implausibility and silliness. The first novel was interesting because the spirituality aspects of the novel were a mechanism to contrast the possible spiritual (and physical) prison we may be constructing for ourselves in our technological society. In my opinion, the author {insert best guess here} goes too far into the fantasy realm using inconsistent logic which distracts the reader from the larger sociological/technological implications. Once you construct an internal logic into an alternative universe, you should stick with it. Internal consistency is very important in science fiction and fantasy. Twelve Hawks re-writes some of the fundamental tenets of his universe and I think jeopardizes the novel.
That said, the novel is well-written and every bit the page-turner as the first book. The characters continue to be developed and the reader will develop real attachments to them. You won't feel like you've wasted your time reading it, even if you may roll your eyes in a few places. I hope the final novel in the series recaptures a little more of the balance between technology and fantasy which made the first book so intriguing.
tried really, really hard to love it, almost succeeded...maybe my expectations were too high from The Traveler July 5, 2007
14 out of 16 found this review helpful
Please note that the copy of this novel reviewed is an "Advanced Reading Copy" that I received at Book Expo America June 1st. The book cover also states that the book will
officially be on sale July 10, 2007.
I enjoyed The Traveler, John Twelve Hawks first novel, because it possessed many elements that I enjoyed; these are not new ideas, but combining them together is somewhat unique. I had very high expectations for The Dark River by John Twelve Hawks (or someone like him since apparently no one knows who he really is) as it had many of these same pieces:
* The concept is very "V for Vendetta" and 1984ish, pitting individuals vs. the "Vast Machine", control vs. individualism, a culture of fear vs. a culture of liberty;
* it depicts a age old conflict between two opposite belief systems;
* it features a group of cold calculating martial arts-trained individuals called Harlequins (also the name of a Dallas Rugby club!);
* it includes the idea of "realms", of parallel universes that certain individuals (Travellers and others) can get to (there are Six Realms; our reality is the Fourth Realm, and it appears that Hell or something like it is the First Realm);
* I liked the different off the grid groups, like New Harmony in the first novel and the Free Runners in this 2nd novel (no spoilers, read the book to see what I mean);
* it is well-paced, something that as an author I know is difficult to do.
This second of a described "Trilogy" (see my list of peeves below) picks up where the first
novel "The Traveler" left of. Gabriel and Michael Corrigan, brothers, have chosen two
opposing sides in the conflict; Michael has chosen the side of the Brethren, who want to
place controls and monitoring on the world, and who heretofor have been dedicated to wiping out Travellers; Gabriel is being hunted by the Brethren and is protected by Maya, one of the Harlequins. They both learn that their long lost father is alive and is also a
Traveler. The majority of the novel is their search for their father, Michael's desire and
efforts to be accepted and ultimately control the Brethren, and the budding romance between Maya (who is a Harlequin but not sure if she wants to be one) and Gabriel.
I read The Traveler, and considered it a good summer read. The surprise at the end that it was the first of a series of books planned (the cover page of this second one denotes it as a trilogy) was a....well...a surprise. I wasn't thrilled with the way a quantum computer was depicted in the first book, but that's okay, it's scifi, right?
The second book (or any sequel) is always difficult to write: you've already enthralled the reader with new concepts and great characters in the first book, so the second book has to not only progress the story towards it's natural conclusion, but it has to be able to stand on its own.
And this is my main issue with The Dark River. If it were tacked onto the end of The Traveler (or onto the beginning of the next book) it would be a great intro or ending. But it has too many events that were not big picture (unless they relate to the next book), too many events that were hard to believe, and doesn't move along some of the main key elements in the book (readers beware: some slight spoilers):
* Not enough of the plot is in or about the Six Realms; isn't this what makes Travelers different, the ability to move through the Realms?
* Michael is kidnapped by the Brethren, and proceeds to worm his way into their leadership; the Brethren have for hundreds of years been dead set on finding and killing all Travelers. I wasn't convinced that Michael did anything special to make them change this philosophy, but they do;
* The second book leaves a large cliff hanger, so it sets up the next book, but it's a predictable cliff hanger;
* There is so much story left (IMHO) that third book is going to need to be 2,000 pages long;
* There are some accuracy issues (p. 171, Statue of Liberty is not on Ellis Island) but I assume this will get cleaned up before the release date (mine was an ARC).
I continue to enjoy the individuals vs. the Vast Machine concept in this 2nd book, and I do enjoy the writing style. This is a good continuation of a great first story, but did not live up to the high bar that was set with The Traveler.
Awaiting the third book for the Fourth Realm (kinda goes along with waiting for the third movie of the Fantastic Four?) and also wondering if Twelve Hawks is American Indian (or Native American depending on which side of the PC line you're on) and what tribe (Choctaw for me!).
I don't know - maybe 4 1/2 stars.... July 16, 2007
12 out of 19 found this review helpful
I guess I was waiting for River to have the punch Traveler did. It continued the story along, but just barely. If the cover wasn't so cool, maybe I would have thought differently - under the dust jacket is a wonderful 'picture' of a spiritual being and it brought so much promise - Maya and Gabriel love each other, and that isn't the best thing for a Harlequin to do - get emotionally involved. Gabriel goes to England to find his father and finds a group of 'Freedom Riders' who race off the grid - Michael, the twin who is with the Bretheren, is gaining power in the organization. He also wants to find his father, but for more sinister reasons. Much is said about the other realms, and of course the other realms will probably be dealt with in other books, but a further description of them would be good - When Gabriel is 'traveling' to find his father's spirit, Maya does the impossible and follows him into that realm. There really isn't as much action as I thought Book 2 would have. Maybe the impact Book 1 had on us has made us wanting more of the impossible - River gives us a big cliffhanger and hopefully the tidbits given in River will pack a mean punch in Book 3. I was just hoping for more this go around. Is it worth reading? yes, but know although there are chases worthy of any action film, the beauty of this series is in the Traveler and what he can do to bring enlightenment to the world controlled by the Vast Machine - and that hasn't happened yet.
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