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Entangled
When a drug overdose causes Leoni, a troubled teen from twenty-first-century Los Angeles, to have a near-death experience, her soul is lifted from the modern world and flung into a parallel time 24,000 years in the past. There her fate becomes entangled with that of Ria, a young Stone Age woman fighting for her life against the ferocious Illimani, an army of evil led by the vicious Sulpa, a powerful demon determined to destroy humanity.As the invaders annihilate Ria's people, inflicting torture and human sacrifice, Sulpa moves ever closer to his ultimate goal: to manifest physically in the twenty-first century and condemn all of mankind to perpetual slavery. The hour is late and any chance of stopping him seems lost. But there is still hope, if Leoni and Ria can rise to the challenge fate has set them. Uniting outside the flow of earth time, they must venture forth into regions of wonder, master their own deepest fears, and fight battles they could never have prepared for, if Sulpa is to be defeated...
448 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
99 people are currently reading
1,498 people want to read
About the author
Graham Hancock
138 books3,945 followersGraham Hancock is a British writer and journalist. His books include Lords of Poverty, The Sign and the Seal, Fingerprints of the Gods, Keeper of Genesis (released in the US as Message of the Sphinx), The Mars Mystery, Heaven's Mirror (with wife Santha Faiia), Underworld: The Mysterious Origins of Civilization, Talisman: Sacred Cities, Secret Faith (with co-author Robert Bauval), Supernatural: Meeting with the Ancient Teachers of Mankind and Magicians of the Gods. He also wrote and presented the Channel 4 documentaries Underworld: Flooded Kingdoms of the Ice Age and Quest for the Lost Civilisation. His first novel, Entangled, was published in 2010.
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April 9, 2010
Graham Hancock? Yeah I've got all of his records!
Graham Hancock started out as a travel journalist and then moved into historical sleuthing which is when I first came across his work (The Sign and the Seal, Fingerprints of the Gods). What I loved about his stuff was that he was obviously very passionate and enthusiastic about his research and that came across completely in his writing to such an extent, that even potentially mundane topics such as the age of the pyramids or detailed descriptions about astrological precession became exciting page turners!
For me, some of his more recent work, whilst still excellent seemed to have lost a little oomph. Now, with Entangled, I was aware that he was writing a fiction book to get across ideas that would attract too much criticism and ridicule if they were presented as fact. I'll be honest, I was expecting something similar to The Celestine Prophecy or The Da Vinci Code, ie, a book desperate to get ideas across with a superficial plot and basic prose to carry these ideas along - not that I am knocking these books, I have enjoyed them and will continue to recommend them to others.
The last reason for my trepidation is a more personal one. This is my year of change. I'm trying very hard to become aware of and break bad habits, whilst hopefully creating newer better habits. As a consequence, I have become very conscious and protective over how my time is spent. I have given up on watching TV completely. I haven't given up on fiction books, but I have started several this year that have not engaged me and they have quickly been returned to the shelf after only a few pages.
I needn't have worried, Graham Hancock, is back to his best!
Entangled has, without doubt, surpassed all of my expectations. It is very well written, there is a depth to the main characters that allows for empathy, the plot flows and most importantly, that spark, that oomph is back.
There is science and pseudo-science involved in the story, but it is fitted in on the whole as part of the story, and there was only one (short) point in the book when I felt it nearly slipped into lecture mode. Let me reassure you, this book can be enjoyed without knowledge of, or even contemplation of the science behind it, it really is a brilliant, easy to read piece of fiction. You also don't need to be familiar with any of Hancock's previous non-fiction work, but if you are new to him through this book, I would definitely recommend his work.
Entangled reads like a thriller because, er, that's exactly what it is! Each chapter is told from the viewpoint of either Ria or Leoni. It is fast paced, exciting and features lots of battle scenes which in some ways you don't even notice as you find yourself unable to put the book down and trying to read one more chapter to find out what happens next!
Hancock does not shy away from either using industrial language when appropriate or inserting the gory details of the fights, and this is a credit. Too much entertainment nowadays tones down both violence and language in an attempt to gain wider audiences. Hancock has a story to tell, and tell it he does, superbly.
My only real criticism is the fact that this book whilst it can be read and enjoyed in isolation, is the first in a series. How many books will form the series, I don't know. There's no mention of it on the cover nor in any of the (limited) blurb that I have read. If I had known, in all likelihood, I wouldn't have started this until the series was complete, but that's just me. I haven't started Thomas Covenants Third Chronicles as an example even though I am desperate to and won't until it has been completed.
5 stars, and highly recommended to everyone.
Graham Hancock started out as a travel journalist and then moved into historical sleuthing which is when I first came across his work (The Sign and the Seal, Fingerprints of the Gods). What I loved about his stuff was that he was obviously very passionate and enthusiastic about his research and that came across completely in his writing to such an extent, that even potentially mundane topics such as the age of the pyramids or detailed descriptions about astrological precession became exciting page turners!
For me, some of his more recent work, whilst still excellent seemed to have lost a little oomph. Now, with Entangled, I was aware that he was writing a fiction book to get across ideas that would attract too much criticism and ridicule if they were presented as fact. I'll be honest, I was expecting something similar to The Celestine Prophecy or The Da Vinci Code, ie, a book desperate to get ideas across with a superficial plot and basic prose to carry these ideas along - not that I am knocking these books, I have enjoyed them and will continue to recommend them to others.
The last reason for my trepidation is a more personal one. This is my year of change. I'm trying very hard to become aware of and break bad habits, whilst hopefully creating newer better habits. As a consequence, I have become very conscious and protective over how my time is spent. I have given up on watching TV completely. I haven't given up on fiction books, but I have started several this year that have not engaged me and they have quickly been returned to the shelf after only a few pages.
I needn't have worried, Graham Hancock, is back to his best!
Entangled has, without doubt, surpassed all of my expectations. It is very well written, there is a depth to the main characters that allows for empathy, the plot flows and most importantly, that spark, that oomph is back.
There is science and pseudo-science involved in the story, but it is fitted in on the whole as part of the story, and there was only one (short) point in the book when I felt it nearly slipped into lecture mode. Let me reassure you, this book can be enjoyed without knowledge of, or even contemplation of the science behind it, it really is a brilliant, easy to read piece of fiction. You also don't need to be familiar with any of Hancock's previous non-fiction work, but if you are new to him through this book, I would definitely recommend his work.
Entangled reads like a thriller because, er, that's exactly what it is! Each chapter is told from the viewpoint of either Ria or Leoni. It is fast paced, exciting and features lots of battle scenes which in some ways you don't even notice as you find yourself unable to put the book down and trying to read one more chapter to find out what happens next!
Hancock does not shy away from either using industrial language when appropriate or inserting the gory details of the fights, and this is a credit. Too much entertainment nowadays tones down both violence and language in an attempt to gain wider audiences. Hancock has a story to tell, and tell it he does, superbly.
My only real criticism is the fact that this book whilst it can be read and enjoyed in isolation, is the first in a series. How many books will form the series, I don't know. There's no mention of it on the cover nor in any of the (limited) blurb that I have read. If I had known, in all likelihood, I wouldn't have started this until the series was complete, but that's just me. I haven't started Thomas Covenants Third Chronicles as an example even though I am desperate to and won't until it has been completed.
5 stars, and highly recommended to everyone.
October 4, 2010
In the acknowledgments for his novel Entangled, Graham Hancock doesn’t just thank his family and his editor, but also “Ayahuasca,” the “visionary brew” used by Amazonian shamans to make out-of-body journeys into the realm of spirits. He also explains that the novel’s premise, characters, and plot resulted from visions brought to him by Ayahuasca. Given that information, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Entangled is — and I am choosing my words carefully here — a seriously weird book.
Leoni is a troubled teenager in present-day Los Angeles. She has a near-death experience after a drug overdose, travels to a mysterious spirit realm and meets the Blue Angel, who explains that she is an important participant in the fight against Sulpa, an evil spirit from the same realm who is attempting to manifest in our world.
Meanwhile, Ria is a prehistoric teenager living 26,000 years ago. (And yes, I realize “meanwhile” and “26,000 years ago” don’t usually belong in the same sentence. Bear with me.) When she saves a young “Ugly” (Neanderthal) from being killed by youths from her clan, Ria discovers that this (now extinct) humanoid species has mysterious powers, including telepathy and magical healing. Already hated because they look different, the Neanderthals are now the victims of an attempted genocide by the Illimani tribe, who are under the control of Sulpa.
The “meanwhile” part of the last paragraph is directly connected to the novel’s title: Leoni and Ria eventually find out that time doesn’t move in a linear way from the past to the future, but rather follows a complex path full of loops and curves. Because of this, even though they live 26,000 years apart, their lives have become “entangled.” Leoni learns from the Blue Angel that, during her out-of-body experiences, she can spiritually travel far into the past to help Ria save the Neanderthals, because their continued survival is vitally important for the future of the world...
Despite this original (to put it lightly) premise, Entangled unravels because of a few unfortunate shortcomings. The main issue with the book is its structure: 99 very short chapters, usually only 3 or 4 pages long, alternating between Leoni and Ria. These chapters are so short that the reader never really gets the chance to be immersed in one character’s narrative before being forcibly switched to the other. The connection between the two stories isn’t very strong until well into the second half of the novel: you know there’s a link, but you’re still pretty much reading two separate stories, set 26,000 years apart. Worst of all, a disproportionately large amount of these mini-chapters end on cliffhangers, which initially can be a bit jolting — and later on frankly becomes hugely annoying. If only we’d gotten 20-30 pages per story at a time, and fewer cliffhangers, this novel would have been much more enjoyable.
There are a few other issues, but none of them are as problematic as the novel’s structure. Some readers may be shocked at the incredibly graphic and gory descriptions of violence, torture, mutilation and rape. If you have a weak stomach, this novel may not be for you. As for the characters, Ria is definitely a strong female protagonist, but it’s hard to connect with her (although readers who enjoy prehistoric fiction in the vein of Jean M. Auel may feel differently.) The present-day character Leoni is more recognizable, but unfortunately not very likable until later in the story. The cast of side characters has very little depth: they are basically just vehicles to move the plot along, either by guiding Leoni towards her spiritual journeys or helping Ria in her quest to save the Uglies. Finally, Entangled is the first book in a projected trilogy, and even though there’s a solid climax, it ends on yet another tremendously annoying cliffhanger.
In the end, despite its problems, Entangled is still an action-packed and often entertaining novel with a highly original concept. After all, it’s not every day you find a story in which the two protagonists live 26,000 years apart but still influence each other. Graham Hancock has obviously done a tremendous amount of research and invested a lot of time and effort in creating this story. Unfortunately, after the 20th or so mini-chapter ending on a cliffhanger, I genuinely had to fight the urge to launch Entangled across the room. Still, if you’re interested in shamanism, time travel or prehistoric fiction, or if you have anything by Carlos Castaneda on your bookshelves, Entangled might be right up your alley.
(This review was also published on www.fantasyliterature.com)
Leoni is a troubled teenager in present-day Los Angeles. She has a near-death experience after a drug overdose, travels to a mysterious spirit realm and meets the Blue Angel, who explains that she is an important participant in the fight against Sulpa, an evil spirit from the same realm who is attempting to manifest in our world.
Meanwhile, Ria is a prehistoric teenager living 26,000 years ago. (And yes, I realize “meanwhile” and “26,000 years ago” don’t usually belong in the same sentence. Bear with me.) When she saves a young “Ugly” (Neanderthal) from being killed by youths from her clan, Ria discovers that this (now extinct) humanoid species has mysterious powers, including telepathy and magical healing. Already hated because they look different, the Neanderthals are now the victims of an attempted genocide by the Illimani tribe, who are under the control of Sulpa.
The “meanwhile” part of the last paragraph is directly connected to the novel’s title: Leoni and Ria eventually find out that time doesn’t move in a linear way from the past to the future, but rather follows a complex path full of loops and curves. Because of this, even though they live 26,000 years apart, their lives have become “entangled.” Leoni learns from the Blue Angel that, during her out-of-body experiences, she can spiritually travel far into the past to help Ria save the Neanderthals, because their continued survival is vitally important for the future of the world...
Despite this original (to put it lightly) premise, Entangled unravels because of a few unfortunate shortcomings. The main issue with the book is its structure: 99 very short chapters, usually only 3 or 4 pages long, alternating between Leoni and Ria. These chapters are so short that the reader never really gets the chance to be immersed in one character’s narrative before being forcibly switched to the other. The connection between the two stories isn’t very strong until well into the second half of the novel: you know there’s a link, but you’re still pretty much reading two separate stories, set 26,000 years apart. Worst of all, a disproportionately large amount of these mini-chapters end on cliffhangers, which initially can be a bit jolting — and later on frankly becomes hugely annoying. If only we’d gotten 20-30 pages per story at a time, and fewer cliffhangers, this novel would have been much more enjoyable.
There are a few other issues, but none of them are as problematic as the novel’s structure. Some readers may be shocked at the incredibly graphic and gory descriptions of violence, torture, mutilation and rape. If you have a weak stomach, this novel may not be for you. As for the characters, Ria is definitely a strong female protagonist, but it’s hard to connect with her (although readers who enjoy prehistoric fiction in the vein of Jean M. Auel may feel differently.) The present-day character Leoni is more recognizable, but unfortunately not very likable until later in the story. The cast of side characters has very little depth: they are basically just vehicles to move the plot along, either by guiding Leoni towards her spiritual journeys or helping Ria in her quest to save the Uglies. Finally, Entangled is the first book in a projected trilogy, and even though there’s a solid climax, it ends on yet another tremendously annoying cliffhanger.
In the end, despite its problems, Entangled is still an action-packed and often entertaining novel with a highly original concept. After all, it’s not every day you find a story in which the two protagonists live 26,000 years apart but still influence each other. Graham Hancock has obviously done a tremendous amount of research and invested a lot of time and effort in creating this story. Unfortunately, after the 20th or so mini-chapter ending on a cliffhanger, I genuinely had to fight the urge to launch Entangled across the room. Still, if you’re interested in shamanism, time travel or prehistoric fiction, or if you have anything by Carlos Castaneda on your bookshelves, Entangled might be right up your alley.
(This review was also published on www.fantasyliterature.com)
May 19, 2014
This book was a real surprise. I wasn't sure what to expect, but once I got into it, it was hard to put down. I thought it was extremely creative and original, and it definitely got me thinking about mind-expanding concepts. I enjoyed Hancock's ideas on parallel universes, spirit beings, and the non-linear idea of time. I have to say, however, if Hancock doesn't write the end of this story, I am going to be very disappointed. He set up an epic struggle between good and evil that makes the ending of the book a real let down if there is no sequel. I've gathered from some internet searching that Entangled wasn't necessarily well-received. I don't get why. Yes, it's violent, but if the evil guy wasn't violent on an evil level, the whole idea that he could tear apart all universes (the Totality) wouldn't be all that convincing. There are a lot of violent books out there, and just being violent doesn't make them bad. I hope Hancock ignores the critics and gets a sequel out soon!
Read
March 23, 2011I had to read this in separated segments, preferably only during mornings, because it worked like a horror movie on me. It made me afraid to be alone, etc., because Sulpa was so real. I have dreams now where Sulpa-like figures lurk. Probably it affected me like this because of Hancock's statements that the story was "downloaded" to his brain by a figure in the ethereal realms of ayahuasca. While I was reading it, I comforted myself by latching onto what I saw as flaws-- the implausibility of Leoni, a dumb teenaged LA coke whore (regardless of the sinister causes of her being this way), somehow becoming capable of not only a fantastic British vocabulary, but also unparalleled athletic strength and altruistic heroism; the little detail that Leoni had always been afraid of jungles, something that a Californian urbanite would have no occasion to fear; the fact that exceptionally short, 16-year old Ria was able to kill men with thrown rocks, which I'm pretty sure is physically impossible (and having once been a small 16 year old girl and fighter myself, I also know that her other large-man-beating abilities are totally impossible in real life); and the absurdity of the idea of a doctor and researcher having legal clout to induct a minor into not only a hallucinogenic drug study at a university, but also flying said specific minor and no others into the Amazon to do ayahuasca outside of the actual research.
However, when I was all finished reading the whole book, I closely read all of Graham Hancock's notes and acknowledgments, searching perhaps for more closure after the cliff-hanger ending, and all of my comforting thoughts of plot flaws to make it less real were defeated as he pre-countered each argument with his trademark sound reasoning and appropriate disclaimers. His notes highlighted, in sum, I think, the fact that extraordinary things happen all the time, and have happened throughout history, and so things that might seem unbelievable are actually true nevertheless. I'm now left with perhaps a childish feeling, which does nothing at all to dispel bogeymen, that somehow the whole story is rooted in true events in other places in both time in space. Whether or not it is, that's the mark of good writing--the creation of that element of closing your blinds with a shudder at night, forcefully trying to avoid wondering whether some character from that harmless book is really out there, or will be out there if you continue to think about it.
However, when I was all finished reading the whole book, I closely read all of Graham Hancock's notes and acknowledgments, searching perhaps for more closure after the cliff-hanger ending, and all of my comforting thoughts of plot flaws to make it less real were defeated as he pre-countered each argument with his trademark sound reasoning and appropriate disclaimers. His notes highlighted, in sum, I think, the fact that extraordinary things happen all the time, and have happened throughout history, and so things that might seem unbelievable are actually true nevertheless. I'm now left with perhaps a childish feeling, which does nothing at all to dispel bogeymen, that somehow the whole story is rooted in true events in other places in both time in space. Whether or not it is, that's the mark of good writing--the creation of that element of closing your blinds with a shudder at night, forcefully trying to avoid wondering whether some character from that harmless book is really out there, or will be out there if you continue to think about it.
May 13, 2014
I really wanted to like this book as I love Graham Hancock's non-fiction books. His other books are super entertaining with ideas and hypothesis that are way outside accepted main-stream points of view. Unfortunately, his non-fiction was more apt to pique my imagination with flights of fancy than the premise of this book.
This book contained gratuitous violence that seemed forced, out of place and overused - The attempt at reflecting brutality didn't work. The female protagonists were somewhat shallow and lacking a believable back-story and motivation.
The mysticism was fun, but the crutch of drug use motivating it was too simplistic.
I did however enjoy the multiple time-line, Science Fiction that takes place in the stone age, urban Los Angeles and in a modern Peruvian jungle. His description of the locations was rich, yet efficient with minimal detail.
Also, using Neanderthals as main characters was ultra-entertaining and original.
Fortunately, this was an easy to read book which was mildly entertaining. G. Hancock has great writing skills and a trove of original creative fodder - He just didn't seem to take full advantage of that talent in this book.
This book contained gratuitous violence that seemed forced, out of place and overused - The attempt at reflecting brutality didn't work. The female protagonists were somewhat shallow and lacking a believable back-story and motivation.
The mysticism was fun, but the crutch of drug use motivating it was too simplistic.
I did however enjoy the multiple time-line, Science Fiction that takes place in the stone age, urban Los Angeles and in a modern Peruvian jungle. His description of the locations was rich, yet efficient with minimal detail.
Also, using Neanderthals as main characters was ultra-entertaining and original.
Fortunately, this was an easy to read book which was mildly entertaining. G. Hancock has great writing skills and a trove of original creative fodder - He just didn't seem to take full advantage of that talent in this book.
May 28, 2013
I bought this book three years ago and it's been sitting on my bookshelf ever since. This year, in an effort to read at least one book a month, I decided to finally read it, and I loved it. You see, I only like to read books written in third person so sometimes it's hard for me to sit at a bookstore and go through books trying to find my preferred format AND something that interests me. I wasn't up for the challenge in May and just decided to read a book that I already owned, but hadn't read yet, with the theory that, if it made it home, then it must already fit those two criteria. I don't know much about how to review a book, and reading way into it like a lot of people do. I review it for what it is. A book. A story. A 435 page journey into another world, even if it means I'm only in that world for an hour a day, but this was a fantastic one. Once I started it, I couldn't put it down. It had done something that I hadn't felt in a while. I made me want more. It gave me the same feeling as reading the Harry Potter series a few years back. It kept me on the edge of my seat wanting to know what was going on next with Leoni or Ria. There were parts where those with vivid imaginations could only be thankful that what they were reading was merely fiction, that they didn't have to see it in real life. Sometimes, words can make one incredibly squeamish, but they are only just words, and you keep pressing forward. At the end, I wanted to know more and since I bought this three years ago, I have to yet to any research to find out if there is a sequel to this or not. I want to know what Ria faces in her fight to bring Leoni back. I want to know what Leoni and Ria do to overcome Sulpa. I want to know what happens with Leoni's meat body and Don Leoncio. I want to know more!
December 1, 2010
The Good:
Strong, compelling characters, especially female characters, and Hancock should be applauded for that.
Fascinating ideas and story, a fast-paced page turner with the end of each short chapter leaving you hanging. It flows a bit like a comic book - something I liked.
The Bad:
Gratuitous violence done to women and children - I found this pretty disturbing and it really got in the way of the story at times.
Hancock didn't do a good enough job suspending my disbelief over some of the most improbable parts - and there were many.
The writing was mediocre at best - you can tell this is a first novel written by someone accustomed to writing non-fiction.
Strong, compelling characters, especially female characters, and Hancock should be applauded for that.
Fascinating ideas and story, a fast-paced page turner with the end of each short chapter leaving you hanging. It flows a bit like a comic book - something I liked.
The Bad:
Gratuitous violence done to women and children - I found this pretty disturbing and it really got in the way of the story at times.
Hancock didn't do a good enough job suspending my disbelief over some of the most improbable parts - and there were many.
The writing was mediocre at best - you can tell this is a first novel written by someone accustomed to writing non-fiction.
December 8, 2010
Interesting, simultaneous time, a bit too violent for me.
January 29, 2011
Entangled – Eater of Souls
by Graham Hancock
The internet hype about this book started cranking during the summer, and I was so excited to hear it. I first heard mention of this book from the author himself, 3 years ago. He was here in Vermont as the keynote speaker for the Earth Spirit Conferences. His keynote address was fantastic. The next day I happened to sit at the same table for lunch as Mr. Hancock and his family, and we discussed his books, all of which had been non-fiction at that point. Talk then turned to his writing fiction for the first time, and I remember the feeling of excitement he had for this new adventure, which was quite contagious.
Well, here it is, and what a story! Graham Hancock is as equally adept at fiction as he is at non-fiction. We’re drawn in from the get-go—and I was delighted to find that this 50-something British white male very convincingly portrays the two main characters; one, Leoni, a young white woman from 21st century America, the other Ria, a prehistoric teenage girl living 24,000 years in our past. The tale is one of great adventure, and skillfully weaves the two timelines together with ease. It is a page-turner, and you’re caught up in the chase with the heroines while your learning a few things, too. To quote from the acknowledgements, “There is a considerable research background to Entangled in fields as diverse as neuropsychology, consciousness, quantum physics, shamanism and palaeoanthropology.” Graham Hancock is known for his research, and with that background he builds the foundation for a very believable story.
Since I can’t improve upon it, I’m going to quote from the inside front flap, a quote by the author of The Steampunk Trilogy: “This … tale … might have been written by J.K. Rowling—if Rowling had apprenticed herself for seven years with Mary Leakey, seven years with Carlos Castaneda, and seven years with Robert Crumb.” That about sums it up. My one complaint about the book is the sudden ending; it’s a doozy of a cliffhanger—the sequel can’t come any too soon for this eager reader. Graham Hancock knocked this one out of the park, and hopefully further adventures of Ria and Leoni are well under way.
by Graham Hancock
The internet hype about this book started cranking during the summer, and I was so excited to hear it. I first heard mention of this book from the author himself, 3 years ago. He was here in Vermont as the keynote speaker for the Earth Spirit Conferences. His keynote address was fantastic. The next day I happened to sit at the same table for lunch as Mr. Hancock and his family, and we discussed his books, all of which had been non-fiction at that point. Talk then turned to his writing fiction for the first time, and I remember the feeling of excitement he had for this new adventure, which was quite contagious.
Well, here it is, and what a story! Graham Hancock is as equally adept at fiction as he is at non-fiction. We’re drawn in from the get-go—and I was delighted to find that this 50-something British white male very convincingly portrays the two main characters; one, Leoni, a young white woman from 21st century America, the other Ria, a prehistoric teenage girl living 24,000 years in our past. The tale is one of great adventure, and skillfully weaves the two timelines together with ease. It is a page-turner, and you’re caught up in the chase with the heroines while your learning a few things, too. To quote from the acknowledgements, “There is a considerable research background to Entangled in fields as diverse as neuropsychology, consciousness, quantum physics, shamanism and palaeoanthropology.” Graham Hancock is known for his research, and with that background he builds the foundation for a very believable story.
Since I can’t improve upon it, I’m going to quote from the inside front flap, a quote by the author of The Steampunk Trilogy: “This … tale … might have been written by J.K. Rowling—if Rowling had apprenticed herself for seven years with Mary Leakey, seven years with Carlos Castaneda, and seven years with Robert Crumb.” That about sums it up. My one complaint about the book is the sudden ending; it’s a doozy of a cliffhanger—the sequel can’t come any too soon for this eager reader. Graham Hancock knocked this one out of the park, and hopefully further adventures of Ria and Leoni are well under way.
April 28, 2011
I only knew Hancock's non-fiction, such as Supernatural, Sign and the Seal, Underworld and Fingerprints of the gods. It was fun to read his fiction about more or less the same ideas. It draws its inspiration primarily from Supernatural, and if you like that book, you're likely to appreciate Entangled. In his non-fiction, Hancock shows himself a fine writer and for the most part his fiction is equally easy to read. The only problems I really had with this book is the twodimensional characters, which in some cases seem to come straight out of a Harry Potter novel, including the somewhat childlike dialogues. And that's excluding the dialogues of the parts of the book that play in ancient times. Maybe this has to do with Hancock's relative little experience writing fiction, and maybe it will be a lot better in his next novel. And that brings me to the other disappointment, because this book is definitely not finished. I assume there's a part 2 in the making, but in the book there's no mention of this. So after finishing the book you're left with an unfinished story, and that's a bit of a bummer. Nonetheless, this book is interesting, exciting and a lot of fun to read. I'd definitely buy the sequel when, or if, it comes out.
October 22, 2012
I liked this a lot more than I thought I would.
The story follows two girls: one, a modern LA party-girl UGH MY PARENTS!!! type, the other a badass no-bullshit Paleolithic huntresss. They are connected by their mutual use of psychedelics to fight a transdimensional demon who feeds on "goodness in the world". He is set on destroying the Neanderthal race, which as it turns out is totally perfect and peaceful and selfless and ~not at all like humans~.
The reason I was surprised to like this is because of the heavy-handed "moral messages" and opinions about humanity as evil/closed-minded/etc., in stark opposition to Neanderthals. It relies heavily on vague speculative research/opinions, and features things like ghosts, spirits, and other things that make my eyes roll. From a technical standpoint, it was very amateurishly executed, with gratuitous word choice, formulaic plot twists, and awkward phrasing in places.
Nevertheless it was consistent and engaging, and I couldn't put it down—I read the whole thing in two days.
The story follows two girls: one, a modern LA party-girl UGH MY PARENTS!!! type, the other a badass no-bullshit Paleolithic huntresss. They are connected by their mutual use of psychedelics to fight a transdimensional demon who feeds on "goodness in the world". He is set on destroying the Neanderthal race, which as it turns out is totally perfect and peaceful and selfless and ~not at all like humans~.
The reason I was surprised to like this is because of the heavy-handed "moral messages" and opinions about humanity as evil/closed-minded/etc., in stark opposition to Neanderthals. It relies heavily on vague speculative research/opinions, and features things like ghosts, spirits, and other things that make my eyes roll. From a technical standpoint, it was very amateurishly executed, with gratuitous word choice, formulaic plot twists, and awkward phrasing in places.
Nevertheless it was consistent and engaging, and I couldn't put it down—I read the whole thing in two days.
October 15, 2010
"Entangled" was sort of like reading two different books for me: on one level it's a fun, fast-paced and highly original fantasy novel. On another it is a sort of spot the clues book full of references to the themes and facts contained in Hancock's non-fiction books from the last couple of decades.
If you've read "Supernatural" Supernatural: Meetings with the Ancient Teachers of Mankind there's definitely a lot in the novel that you'll recognize, from the ancient cave paintings to the modern-day shamans of the Amazon. Plenty of "Fingerprints of the Gods" material too, so that any fan of Hancock's previous work is going to have a lot of fun seeing how he applied his vast knowledge to creating a work of fiction. Highly Recommended.
If you've read "Supernatural" Supernatural: Meetings with the Ancient Teachers of Mankind there's definitely a lot in the novel that you'll recognize, from the ancient cave paintings to the modern-day shamans of the Amazon. Plenty of "Fingerprints of the Gods" material too, so that any fan of Hancock's previous work is going to have a lot of fun seeing how he applied his vast knowledge to creating a work of fiction. Highly Recommended.
October 15, 2010
"Entangled" was sort of like reading two different books for me: on one level it's a fun, fast-paced and highly original fantasy novel. On another it is a sort of spot the clues book full of references to the themes and facts contained in Hancock's non-fiction books from the last couple of decades.
If you've read "Supernatural" Supernatural: Meetings with the Ancient Teachers of Mankind there's definitely a lot in the novel that you'll recognize, from the ancient cave paintings to the modern-day shamans of the Amazon. Plenty of "Fingerprints of the Gods" material too, so that any fan of Hancock's previous work is going to have a lot of fun seeing how he applied his vast knowledge to creating a work of fiction. Highly Recommended.
If you've read "Supernatural" Supernatural: Meetings with the Ancient Teachers of Mankind there's definitely a lot in the novel that you'll recognize, from the ancient cave paintings to the modern-day shamans of the Amazon. Plenty of "Fingerprints of the Gods" material too, so that any fan of Hancock's previous work is going to have a lot of fun seeing how he applied his vast knowledge to creating a work of fiction. Highly Recommended.
February 13, 2014
It is an absolute a must read for those who are fascinated by the idea of time travel, extra dimensions, life and death and good and evil. This is a novel by an amazing non-fiction writer, a scholar, who's uncompromising detail and research are a must for anyone who is interested in an alternative theory of human evolution and early start of humanity, but without a religious or new age spin. This novel ties in fact and fiction to such high extend you won't know which is which. All in the story of adventure and bravery, savagery and humanity. Each reader will have to detangle, pun intended, for herself. Please finish book 2 soon!
January 14, 2016
I really can't imagine where the 1-3 star reviews are coming from. 4 if its not really your thing, but come on! This is well-written! There's one thing you got to know about Graham Hancock, he knows how to tell a story! His stories, whether in a novel form or a book about the history of the end of the last ice age, are well laid-out and riveting, you just gotta keep reading!
This book might be a little weird, have a lot of topics that might be difficult for some to read about, but its a cool, fun ride while it lasts. I wish it was longer! I wish there were sequels, tons of them!
This book might be a little weird, have a lot of topics that might be difficult for some to read about, but its a cool, fun ride while it lasts. I wish it was longer! I wish there were sequels, tons of them!
September 28, 2010
Gave it three chapters. Not for me. Unconvincing female protags.
September 22, 2019
Do you know these commercials where you're like "man, this one really has a decent story, but it's still a commercial"? That's exactly what I felt when reading this book. The product that's being advertised here would be DMT, Ayahuasca, spiritual journeys, out-of-body experiences and stuff like that. Because the whole plot only serves this exact purpose, as far as I know. To illustrtate the marvels and wonders that these substances have in them. AndI think that the only way this plot would work is if you're high yourself. On the plus side it was an entertaining read. And considering this was the first fictional novel by the author, I liked his writing style and I really look forward to reading from him again. But please no more commercials.
August 28, 2013
Leoni has endured a wayward upbringing.
Tainted by sickening sexual abuse from her father which was aided and abetted by her mother, perhaps it's no surprise that she's gone off the rails.
In a particularly bleak moment, she overdoses on prescription drugs and gets admitted to a psychiatric hospital for assessment. When she tries to lift the lid on the inhumanity of her parents behaviour, she's given a heavy dose of ketamine to quiet her as well as sedate her.
And it's then when she gets a glimpse of another world.
Enter Ria. A girl who lives in a prehistoric era who is clearly in a desperate situation, trying to overcome a dominant and evil race of men who want to rid her kind from the face of the earth.
Via the medium of psychadelics, Leoni is to form a bond with Ria and begins to understand that she must help her in any which way she can, to help both her friend and the future of mankind.
If the concept of this book hadn't been as fascinating as it was, I may well have bailed on this early.
I was more battle weary than any of the characters of the book could ever be. There's only so many ways to read about blood spurting and innards being revealed before surely even the most ardent fans of man to man combat feel their eyes get a little heavy-lidded. I know that most of the book is set in pre-history and so is to be expected perhaps, but really Graham, it was too much.
That said, this book refused to allow me to put it down for too long. If someone is prepared to write a story about people using psychadelics to travel back in time and discover different worlds then you can sign me up right here and now.
Battle scenes aside, it's a captivating read. And it's quite an enthralling insight into what other theories that Hancock is bringing to the world, using the fictional status to say whatever the hell he likes without reprisal.
Also worthy of comment is the strangely childlike feel that is engrained within the story. Although some of the language used and scenes portrayed are as far away from childrens stories as they could and should be, the book has a slight Lord of the Rings style of portrayal which neither detracts or enhances, but is just very noticeable.
Not without fault for sure, but you can be sure I'll be purchasing the sequel.
rates Entangled 7 out of 10 Author - Graham Hancock. Leoni has endured a wayward upbringing. Tainted by sickening sexual abuse from her father which was aided and abetted by her mother, perhaps it's no surprise that she's gone off the rails. In a particularly bleak moment, she overdoses on prescription drugs and gets admitted to a psychiatric hospital for assessment. When she tries to lift the lid on the inhumanity of her parents behaviour, she's given a heavy dose of ketamine to quiet her as well as sedate her. And it's then when she gets a glimpse of another world. Enter Ria. A girl who lives in a prehistoric era who is clearly in a desperate situation, trying to overcome a dominant and evil race of men who want to rid her kind from the face of the earth. Via the medium of psychadelics, Leoni is to form a bond with Ria and begins to understand that she must help her in any which way she can, to help both her friend and the future of mankind. If the concept of this book hadn't been as fascinating as it was, I may well have bailed on this early. I was more battle weary than any of the characters of the book could ever be. There's only so many ways to read about blood spurting and innards being revealed before surely even the most ardent fans of man to man combat feel their eyes get a little heavy-lidded. I know that most of the book is set in pre-history and so is to be expected perhaps, but really Graham, it was too much. That said, this book refused to allow me to put it down for too long. If someone is prepared to write a story about people using psychadelics to travel back in time and discover different worlds then you can sign me up right here and now. Battle scenes aside, it's a captivating read. And it's quite an enthralling insight into what other theories that Hancock is bringing to the world, using the fictional status to say whatever the hell he likes without reprisal. Also worthy of comment is the strangely childlike feel that is engrained within the story. Although some of the language used and scenes portrayed are as far away from childrens stories as they could and should be, the book has a slight Lord of the Rings style of portrayal which neither detracts or enhances, but is just very noticeable. Not without fault for sure, but you can be sure I'll be purchasing the sequel.
August 17, 2013
Graham Hancock's Entangled is probably one of the strangest novels I've read this year. It was also one of the more interesting.
I usually give novels at least 50 pages to hook my interest, as I've found that even books I ended up loving may not strike me favorably at first. Entangled is definitely a book that I'd place in the "stick with it" category. Not having read any of Hancock's nonfiction but being familiar with some of the themes he explores--including the idea that humankind was (or still is?) once in contact with ancient teachers such as the Blue Angel that features in this novel--I decided to read Entangled on a recommendation.
And it is--to say the least--a gripping story once you realize where it's taking you. It was the getting there that was difficult for me at first. You can read a more detailed description of the plot in other reviews, but the short version is that this is a story about two remarkable young women living 24,000 years apart who must come together through the nonphysical plane (on which such time differences are trivial) to battle a demon called Sulpa who literally wants to eat our souls. Currently embodied in Stone Age Europe and commanding a tribe of vicious invaders called the Illimani, Sulpa wants to transcend time and space to manifest in the 21st century. Oh, and he gets his energy from slaughtering children and eating their souls.
Hancock definitely doesn't waste time in establishing the book's stakes or its action-adventure tone, as the story begins with Ria (a young woman of the Clan, living in the Stone Age) rescuing a young Neanderthal from murderous assailants. While I'm not one of those readers who needs a murder or rape in the first few pages to get interested, Hancock's visual descriptions of the Stone Age and the action-y opening excellently set the tone for the rest of the book.
What I had difficulty with at first were two things: the dialogue and the exposition. While I actually got used to the Stone Age characters' way of speaking pretty quickly (Hancock points out in the intro that he took some liberties since we don't know how people spoke thousands of years ago), at first the modern characters' speech seemed a bit too expository. For instance, in the section where the doctor character, Bannerman, is describing to Leoni what a near-death experience is, it read more like a news story than a naturalistic conversation. I know Hancock comes from nonfiction and journalism which probably accounts for this, but it jarred me. Fortunately, there aren't many instances of this explanatory dialogue and it falls away toward the rising action of the book. The other thing I had to get past was the exposition: Leoni, the young woman living in the 21st century time thread, has a legitimately disturbing past that turns out to be connected to the demon Sulpa's attempts to gain followers in the modern world. However, I wish Hancock had taken a bit more time to reveal her past--maybe dropped some hints instead of stating it explicitly so soon in the book. I don't mind waiting to find out more about a character's back story as they participate in the front story, so laying out Leoni's past basically all at once felt a bit choppy to me.
A word of warning to those who haven't read it: Entangled does contain some pretty horrific violence and is probably not for those with weak stomachs. Given that the antagonist, Sulpa, is supposed to be the incarnation of evil and destruction, it made sense that his converts would be into things like torture and rape, but I can see some readers being turned off by it.
All this being said, however? I still thought Entangled was a great read. Some people have complained that the shorter chapters took them out of the story, but I actually liked the frequent transitions as it enabled me to basically devour the chapters like candy. I'd been warned that the novel ends on a cliffhanger, so I didn't find it as irksome as some readers did. (Hancock has also announced he's writing an "Entangled 2" that will be out sometime in 2014.) As cliffhangers go, it's actually not that bad; if you don't believe me, cross-reference this with Ian Irvine's "Well of Echoes" books, in which the ENTIRE SERIES ends on a cliffhanger that's basically a gotcha to make you read the next series.
I usually give novels at least 50 pages to hook my interest, as I've found that even books I ended up loving may not strike me favorably at first. Entangled is definitely a book that I'd place in the "stick with it" category. Not having read any of Hancock's nonfiction but being familiar with some of the themes he explores--including the idea that humankind was (or still is?) once in contact with ancient teachers such as the Blue Angel that features in this novel--I decided to read Entangled on a recommendation.
And it is--to say the least--a gripping story once you realize where it's taking you. It was the getting there that was difficult for me at first. You can read a more detailed description of the plot in other reviews, but the short version is that this is a story about two remarkable young women living 24,000 years apart who must come together through the nonphysical plane (on which such time differences are trivial) to battle a demon called Sulpa who literally wants to eat our souls. Currently embodied in Stone Age Europe and commanding a tribe of vicious invaders called the Illimani, Sulpa wants to transcend time and space to manifest in the 21st century. Oh, and he gets his energy from slaughtering children and eating their souls.
Hancock definitely doesn't waste time in establishing the book's stakes or its action-adventure tone, as the story begins with Ria (a young woman of the Clan, living in the Stone Age) rescuing a young Neanderthal from murderous assailants. While I'm not one of those readers who needs a murder or rape in the first few pages to get interested, Hancock's visual descriptions of the Stone Age and the action-y opening excellently set the tone for the rest of the book.
What I had difficulty with at first were two things: the dialogue and the exposition. While I actually got used to the Stone Age characters' way of speaking pretty quickly (Hancock points out in the intro that he took some liberties since we don't know how people spoke thousands of years ago), at first the modern characters' speech seemed a bit too expository. For instance, in the section where the doctor character, Bannerman, is describing to Leoni what a near-death experience is, it read more like a news story than a naturalistic conversation. I know Hancock comes from nonfiction and journalism which probably accounts for this, but it jarred me. Fortunately, there aren't many instances of this explanatory dialogue and it falls away toward the rising action of the book. The other thing I had to get past was the exposition: Leoni, the young woman living in the 21st century time thread, has a legitimately disturbing past that turns out to be connected to the demon Sulpa's attempts to gain followers in the modern world. However, I wish Hancock had taken a bit more time to reveal her past--maybe dropped some hints instead of stating it explicitly so soon in the book. I don't mind waiting to find out more about a character's back story as they participate in the front story, so laying out Leoni's past basically all at once felt a bit choppy to me.
A word of warning to those who haven't read it: Entangled does contain some pretty horrific violence and is probably not for those with weak stomachs. Given that the antagonist, Sulpa, is supposed to be the incarnation of evil and destruction, it made sense that his converts would be into things like torture and rape, but I can see some readers being turned off by it.
All this being said, however? I still thought Entangled was a great read. Some people have complained that the shorter chapters took them out of the story, but I actually liked the frequent transitions as it enabled me to basically devour the chapters like candy. I'd been warned that the novel ends on a cliffhanger, so I didn't find it as irksome as some readers did. (Hancock has also announced he's writing an "Entangled 2" that will be out sometime in 2014.) As cliffhangers go, it's actually not that bad; if you don't believe me, cross-reference this with Ian Irvine's "Well of Echoes" books, in which the ENTIRE SERIES ends on a cliffhanger that's basically a gotcha to make you read the next series.
October 26, 2014
I've marked this book as 'finished' in my account... but I didn't really. I got to page 221 and then, finally, decided to stop kidding myself and accept the truth.
I really, really wanted to like this book. The premise made it sound like it was just my cup of tea; a clever mix of fantasy/alternate reality with just a touch of sci-fi thriller. The author is clearly a skilled writer, as the prose itself is well-written. In fact, even now I feel a strong urge to look this book in the eye and say "I'm sorry it had to end this way - it's not you, it's me." I hate not finishing a book, and the fact that I'd already made it to almost the half-way mark is even more gutting, because the feeling that I'm taking the lazy/coward's way out is that much stronger.
But the warning signs were all there; the fact that it's taken me THREE WHOLE MONTHS to get even halfway through, the excuses I made to myself for 'not having the time' to read more of it right now - because reading it was starting to feel like a chore... And then, finally, the one that has always been the nail in the coffin for me; if I take a sneaky peek at the last two pages, to try and gauge if the ending is 'worth the effort' of reading towards it. And it just wasn't. Maybe it would be for someone else - but not for me. There are a million, gazillion books out there to be read, and I simply decided that I didn't possess the loyalty to stick this one out to the bitter end purely for the sake of saying I'd finished it.
It started off fantastically; two strong female main characters, separated in time (one stone age, one modern day) linked together by supernatural events resulting in a combined destiny to save mankind from the ultimate evil. The story is told from the viewpoints of both females, alternating between chapters, and there is plenty of action going on. But after a while I began to feel the story wasn't really going anywhere very fast; sure, there's lots of action in every chapter, but it's pretty much the SAME action, over and over again. Leoni has an out-of-body experience and sees lots of freaky things, then has to run away from some bad guys in the real world; Ria and whatever stone-age blokes she's aligned with fight an epic battle against some other stone age blokes, with lots of gory death and horrible injuries which her new stone age buddies can heal with their magic healing powers.
Pretty soon I realised that every chapter was simply a variation on either one of those two specific plot points, repeated and repeated, without much progress being made in the overall story arc at all(which, I'm assuming, involves the uber-bad-guy nemesis Sulpa, who gets the occasional namecheck just enough times to not get completely forgotten about.)That was the moment I read the last two pages to check out the ending; does this thing EVER get resolved and is it worth it? And that's when it became clear that this book is just PART ONE of the whole story...
I'm sorry, but I simply don't have that much patience. Maybe that's a personal flaw of mine - a damning indictment of my fleeting, computer-game-nurtured attention-span that I want DIFFERENT things to HAPPEN in my stories, dammit, and give me another cookie! This book may be perfect for some... but not for me.
Sorry 'Entangled.' It's not you, it's me. Let's end this before we both become bitter and cynical.
I really, really wanted to like this book. The premise made it sound like it was just my cup of tea; a clever mix of fantasy/alternate reality with just a touch of sci-fi thriller. The author is clearly a skilled writer, as the prose itself is well-written. In fact, even now I feel a strong urge to look this book in the eye and say "I'm sorry it had to end this way - it's not you, it's me." I hate not finishing a book, and the fact that I'd already made it to almost the half-way mark is even more gutting, because the feeling that I'm taking the lazy/coward's way out is that much stronger.
But the warning signs were all there; the fact that it's taken me THREE WHOLE MONTHS to get even halfway through, the excuses I made to myself for 'not having the time' to read more of it right now - because reading it was starting to feel like a chore... And then, finally, the one that has always been the nail in the coffin for me; if I take a sneaky peek at the last two pages, to try and gauge if the ending is 'worth the effort' of reading towards it. And it just wasn't. Maybe it would be for someone else - but not for me. There are a million, gazillion books out there to be read, and I simply decided that I didn't possess the loyalty to stick this one out to the bitter end purely for the sake of saying I'd finished it.
It started off fantastically; two strong female main characters, separated in time (one stone age, one modern day) linked together by supernatural events resulting in a combined destiny to save mankind from the ultimate evil. The story is told from the viewpoints of both females, alternating between chapters, and there is plenty of action going on. But after a while I began to feel the story wasn't really going anywhere very fast; sure, there's lots of action in every chapter, but it's pretty much the SAME action, over and over again. Leoni has an out-of-body experience and sees lots of freaky things, then has to run away from some bad guys in the real world; Ria and whatever stone-age blokes she's aligned with fight an epic battle against some other stone age blokes, with lots of gory death and horrible injuries which her new stone age buddies can heal with their magic healing powers.
Pretty soon I realised that every chapter was simply a variation on either one of those two specific plot points, repeated and repeated, without much progress being made in the overall story arc at all(which, I'm assuming, involves the uber-bad-guy nemesis Sulpa, who gets the occasional namecheck just enough times to not get completely forgotten about.)That was the moment I read the last two pages to check out the ending; does this thing EVER get resolved and is it worth it? And that's when it became clear that this book is just PART ONE of the whole story...
I'm sorry, but I simply don't have that much patience. Maybe that's a personal flaw of mine - a damning indictment of my fleeting, computer-game-nurtured attention-span that I want DIFFERENT things to HAPPEN in my stories, dammit, and give me another cookie! This book may be perfect for some... but not for me.
Sorry 'Entangled.' It's not you, it's me. Let's end this before we both become bitter and cynical.
February 15, 2013
Graham Hancock is british journalist who writes non-fiction books about ancient mysteries, new age and forgotten history - not only I love the subjects he covers but his writing is very engaged & passionate, therefore I actually buy his books without reservations. In the past, I have read "Fingerprints of the Gods: The Evidence of Earth's Lost Civilization", " The Sign and the Seal: The Quest for the Lost Ark of the Covenant" and "Supernatural: Meeting with the Ancient Teachers of Mankind" (the last one was my absolute favorite and could read it again) - now recently I stumbled upon his first fiction novel "Entangled". Actually I should have been more careful when I'm buying books, because, you see, I was not even aware it was fiction - had I knew it, maybe I wouldn't bother.
Hancock's name was the best possible recommendation so I bought the book without realizing (until much,much later) it is not his usual non-fiction work about ancient civilizations/aliens/mysteries. It is actually a fiction work, a novel. My disappointment was so big that I left the books aside for months until I finally decided to check it out. Several things are recognizable Hancock, namely the way he connects ancient civilizations, mysterious Amazon potions and human unconscious mind - he wrote about this in his previous work but here he uses it as a part of his fictional plot. It is a adventure story that connects two characters who live in completely different eras, namely 21 century girl and her stone age counterpart - the only way they can be connected and fight together against mutual enemy is trough drugs or magic potions that alter mind (during these sessions they are both guided by angelic presence but its clear this is just one of the many faces of spiritual being). Since he tries to follow two parallel stories sets in different time zones, Hancock juggles between two different centuries which is a bit annoying as reader is never allowed to relax in one time and simply enjoy the story - just when you start really getting into it, another chapter brings you back to present time and so on. Stone age story (reminiscent of "Clan of Cave Bear") was actually gripping enough to make me skip the other story completely and just read the chapters about Neanderthals. Another thing I disliked was - the language. In his non-fiction work Hancock is very passionate, convincing, energetic and enthusiastic, very well informed and obviously stands behind his words. Here, creating a complete fictional world, he writes very much like script for an action movie - for example, his characters would say "What the fuck?" - a lot of swearing - where non fiction work had a sense of wisdom and adventure, his fiction novel feels a bit adolescent, with swearing, sex and graphic violence. I shouldn't really complain as I read the novel in a few days and couldn't put it down (he leaves the end open for possibility of sequel) but still it wasn't what I expected from Hancock and I wish he continues writing non fiction instead.
Hancock's name was the best possible recommendation so I bought the book without realizing (until much,much later) it is not his usual non-fiction work about ancient civilizations/aliens/mysteries. It is actually a fiction work, a novel. My disappointment was so big that I left the books aside for months until I finally decided to check it out. Several things are recognizable Hancock, namely the way he connects ancient civilizations, mysterious Amazon potions and human unconscious mind - he wrote about this in his previous work but here he uses it as a part of his fictional plot. It is a adventure story that connects two characters who live in completely different eras, namely 21 century girl and her stone age counterpart - the only way they can be connected and fight together against mutual enemy is trough drugs or magic potions that alter mind (during these sessions they are both guided by angelic presence but its clear this is just one of the many faces of spiritual being). Since he tries to follow two parallel stories sets in different time zones, Hancock juggles between two different centuries which is a bit annoying as reader is never allowed to relax in one time and simply enjoy the story - just when you start really getting into it, another chapter brings you back to present time and so on. Stone age story (reminiscent of "Clan of Cave Bear") was actually gripping enough to make me skip the other story completely and just read the chapters about Neanderthals. Another thing I disliked was - the language. In his non-fiction work Hancock is very passionate, convincing, energetic and enthusiastic, very well informed and obviously stands behind his words. Here, creating a complete fictional world, he writes very much like script for an action movie - for example, his characters would say "What the fuck?" - a lot of swearing - where non fiction work had a sense of wisdom and adventure, his fiction novel feels a bit adolescent, with swearing, sex and graphic violence. I shouldn't really complain as I read the novel in a few days and couldn't put it down (he leaves the end open for possibility of sequel) but still it wasn't what I expected from Hancock and I wish he continues writing non fiction instead.
September 11, 2017
"Could have been shorter!"
Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?
If they are into the subject matter yes I would. However if you are into Fantasy/Sci-Fi I am not sure I would.
What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)
It all came together ok at the end. However it does not really give you closure on much as if I remember correctly this was meant to be a trilogy.
Have you listened to any of Khristine Hvam and Graham Hancock - introduction ’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
Khristine was really the only thing that kept me going with this book to be honest. She kept it interesting however her guy voices could use some work.
Did Entangled inspire you to do anything?
Not really!
Any additional comments?
Overall I would not say this book was bad. However it was dragged out in my opinion. Now I may have been a bit bias to get this over with as I have a new Bobiverse book to read but it felt very slow. Had Graham possibly condensed this into under 10 hours I think it would have been better for the story. The characters were very interesting and to be honest the book is pretty messed up. Takes on some very grim and dirty topics but I think he handled it well. It is not a bad book. However in my situation and this being way outside my usual listening genres I enjoyed it. In conclusion I think if it had been condensed I would have enjoyed this much more and it would have been easier to recommend. Take my review with a grain of salt obviously.
Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?
If they are into the subject matter yes I would. However if you are into Fantasy/Sci-Fi I am not sure I would.
What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)
It all came together ok at the end. However it does not really give you closure on much as if I remember correctly this was meant to be a trilogy.
Have you listened to any of Khristine Hvam and Graham Hancock - introduction ’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
Khristine was really the only thing that kept me going with this book to be honest. She kept it interesting however her guy voices could use some work.
Did Entangled inspire you to do anything?
Not really!
Any additional comments?
Overall I would not say this book was bad. However it was dragged out in my opinion. Now I may have been a bit bias to get this over with as I have a new Bobiverse book to read but it felt very slow. Had Graham possibly condensed this into under 10 hours I think it would have been better for the story. The characters were very interesting and to be honest the book is pretty messed up. Takes on some very grim and dirty topics but I think he handled it well. It is not a bad book. However in my situation and this being way outside my usual listening genres I enjoyed it. In conclusion I think if it had been condensed I would have enjoyed this much more and it would have been easier to recommend. Take my review with a grain of salt obviously.
December 29, 2014
blurbification - Time is not what it seems...
When a drug overdose causes Leoni, a troubled teen from twenty-first-century Los Angeles, to have a near-death experience, her soul is lifted from the modern world and flung into a parallel time 24,000 years in the past. There her fate becomes entangled with that of Ria, a young Stone Age woman fighting for her life against the ferocious Illimani, an army of evil led by the vicious Sulpa, a powerful demon determined to destroy humanity.
As the invaders annihilate Ria's people, inflicting torture and human sacrifice, Sulpa moves ever closer to his ultimate goal: to manifest physically in the twenty-first century and condemn all of mankind to perpetual slavery. The hour is late and any chance of stopping him seems lost. But there is still hope, if Leoni and Ria can rise to the challenge fate has set them. Uniting outside the flow of earth time, they must venture forth into regions of wonder, master their own deepest fears, and fight battles they could never have prepared for, if Sulpa is to be defeated...
When a drug overdose causes Leoni, a troubled teen from twenty-first-century Los Angeles, to have a near-death experience, her soul is lifted from the modern world and flung into a parallel time 24,000 years in the past. There her fate becomes entangled with that of Ria, a young Stone Age woman fighting for her life against the ferocious Illimani, an army of evil led by the vicious Sulpa, a powerful demon determined to destroy humanity.
As the invaders annihilate Ria's people, inflicting torture and human sacrifice, Sulpa moves ever closer to his ultimate goal: to manifest physically in the twenty-first century and condemn all of mankind to perpetual slavery. The hour is late and any chance of stopping him seems lost. But there is still hope, if Leoni and Ria can rise to the challenge fate has set them. Uniting outside the flow of earth time, they must venture forth into regions of wonder, master their own deepest fears, and fight battles they could never have prepared for, if Sulpa is to be defeated...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2018
This book is not for the faint of heart. I have read so many of Graham Hancock's books and this his first novel does not disappoint. For me this book speaks of reality, what we are experiencing now in 2018 and the fight which continues to go on between those who would treasure and support Earth and life and those who would corrupt and kill. Some of this book was very hard for me to read. I had to skip the most brutal acts but I finished the book and was grateful to have had the opportunity to read it.
April 21, 2015
I have much admiration for graham Hancock but this book is just not working for me. Read half. I am letting it go with much sadness. I think the format is just wrong, a teenage female novel with ultra violence. Is like a mix between Charlene Harris and George Orwel. I really wanted to like it but I didn't :(. maybe next one will be better...
January 17, 2017
An engaging read toying with the nature of time and quantum entanglement through time and space. It's written in a way that takes theoretical physics and applies it to a what if scenario in a very interesting way. If you enjoy quantum thought experiments and stories that explore the nature of consciousness you'll find this novel something you'll certainly enjoy.
September 1, 2017
This was a long read. The first couple chapters seemed to drag on for a really long time, even though they are short chapters. It wasn't until the mid-point in the book that the story started to come together. Until that point, I wasn't sure why I should care about either main characters story arc. It was an enjoyable read, but I doubt I pick up the rest of the series.
July 25, 2017
This book caught me off guard as I started it, and kept me on my toes all they way through. A great story with very detailed descriptions of many things, both good and bad, make for a page turner that is tough to stop reading.
January 21, 2015
Δεν το τελειωσα καν ! πολυ βαρετό
January 4, 2017
Excellent book...
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