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Type of bind: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.6
Format: Bargain Price
Label: Dutton Adult
Manufacturer: Dutton Adult
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 416
Printing Date: April 19, 2007
Publishing house: Dutton Adult
Release Date: April 19, 2007
Sale Popularity Level: 400320
Studio: Dutton Adult
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Product Description:
Gabriel Blackstone is an unscrupulous hacker and unrepentant 'remote viewer' who can't resist his ex-lover's request to look into her stepson's disappearance. His investigation leads him to a rambling Victorian home that bewitches him-as do its beautiful, enigmatic owners, the Monk sisters. The pair are solar witches, obsessed with alchemy and the Art of Memory, a practice invented by the ancient Greeks.
With his uneasy suspicion that one of the sisters is a killer, Gabriel sets out to determine which. But the more entangled in the case he becomes, the more deeply he is drawn into the sisters' entrancing world-losing hold of reality even as he falls into mortal danger...
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Rated by buyers -
Season of the Witch
By Natasha Mostert
In the third book on loan from Lisa M., I completed Season of the Witch today. At first, I didn't think that this was "my type of novel." By Chapter 7, I couldn't wait to finish the story and get to the ending. I guess, it was my type of novel, after all.
This story is an interesting one for those possessing an innately open mind or strong imagination. Like Dan Brown's efforts in writing The DaVinci Code, Natasha Mostert does an excellent job in performing her research and backing up the story with history, literature and actual facts. This story is rich in color, texture, and description. Mostert's character development gave me vivid pictures in my mind of both Morrighan and Minnaloushe, the sisters who are practioners of high magic. For those of us who do not know what "high magic" is... it is best described in the book:
"Practitioners of high magic were witches and wizards who sought to know the secrets of the universe. They were ready to look God in the eye without flinching.."
As to not to get to far ahead of myself, from the beginning the reader is introduced to the protagonist of story, Gabriel. Gabriel is a RV (Remote Viewer). Remote Viewing, as described, is the gift of second sight in which the RV is able to tap into the concept of "psi-space" which is described as ".. a highly developed neurophysiological network in place..." in which Gabriel may "... merge his thoughts with information generated by the minds of others." The best way to parallel Gabriel's ability is to what we describe as psychic ability and the ableness to acess the mind of another via the "collective conscious" or "connected universal mind." Again, check out the STARGATE information as outlined by Mostert's Remote Viewing section of her website for more detailed information.
Gabriel is in business with a computer technology guru, Isidore. Together, they have greatly profited from the business of stealing information. Now, this is more computer information, trade secrets, etc. These men make a sucessful, secret business by utilizing the skill sets of both men, which compliment one another perfectly. As the strory begins, Gabriel is visited by his old college flame, and I believe the love of his life, Frankie. Frankie describes to Isidore and Gabriel the story of her missing stepson and pleads with Gabriel to use his talents for the purpose of locating him. Frankie and Gabriel were both gifted with the RV gift, however Gabriel's is a stronger, rarer gift than hers. Her abilities could not give her the answers on her stepson, Robbie, however she feared he was dead. Together, the three of them, venture to explore Robbie's whereabouts or the truth about his disappearance and death.
Gabriel describes his Remote Viewing as "slamming the ride." He "slams the ride" into Robbie's mind and confirms Frankie's suspicion that Robbie was dead. When he discusses the ride with Frankie, they discover that Robbie's death was attached to the lives of Morrighan and Minnaloushe Monk. Morrighan can be best described as the cutting edge, dark, strong, raven-haired and strong witch. I related more to Minnaloushe, the feminine, intellectual, softer, natural and red-headed witch. These sisters, opposites and only 1 year apart in age, are deeply connected and masters at the practice of high magic. In addition to this talent, they are practicing alchemists. The readers soon thereafter discover that one of the sisters has the talent of Remote Viewing, like Gabriel.
The story, from there takes the reader on an adventure of Gabriel's growing relationship with the Monk sisters, as well as his self-discovery into his own RV talents. The book maintains points of beauty, love, mystery and eroticism that keep the reader intrigued. I found the ending to be unpredictable (which I love) and in a way that I felt satisfied. On my "Out of Ten Scale," I'd give it an eight point five. One of my favorite characters is Goliath; look for him!
My favorite quote from the book was:
"The Egyptians believed love to reside in the brain, not the heart. But I believe that love should be vehement, physical, blotting out rational thought. Bathing in his maleness: his smell, his touch, his exquisite violence. The subsequent morning a bruised body, a disheveled bed. And that searing sense that life is joy and passion."
I had a bit of fun visiting Mostert's website and playing the Season of the Witch on-line game and reading more on STARGATE. There, she offers up questions for book club readers that I wanted to jump in and answer:
1. At the beginning of Season of the Witch, Gabriel is hip, sexy, self-assured and in control of his life. At the end of the book we see him much older and in the grip of obsession. Do you think he has grown during his journey or has he become ... Read More
Rated by buyers -
I bought the book months ago and added it to my reading list. I picked it up earlier in the week and once I started reading, found myself captivated by the characters and story. About three quarters of the way into the book I admit that I found myself willing the plot to go in a different direction and sort of wished that it would have, not to say that the ending wasn't interesting but I did feel that I was continuing to read it just to finish the book and not because I was totally mesmerized with the story anymore. All in all, it is definitely a good read but possibly could have been better, I would still recommend reading it to anyone that has an interest in paranormal fiction.
Rated by buyers 
-
Yes, I was trapped on a plane to Seattle (five hours) but I opened this book and by the time that I had reached Atlanta I was 64 pages into it. I closed the book as we landed. There were so many themes in this book I cannot begin to describe them all. The references all related to historical facts. But these facts were all over the place. Such as there relation to Elizabeth the very first tie to a alchemist. Then to go into remote viewing. I had no idea until the end who had done it. It is mystery but one that you are not sure of to the end.
Rated by buyers -
The book jacket warns, "Prepare to be seduced," but sexuality is not the alluring aspect of Season of the Witch. Rather, Natasha Mostert's novel engrosses the reader with rich character development and an intriguing storyline.
The story begins with Gabriel Blackstone, a professional computer hacker and remote viewer who is asked to investigate the disappearance of a young man named Robbie. But when Gabriel accesses Robbie's mind, he realizes that Robbie was killed by a beautiful yet mysterious woman, perhaps one of Robbie's friends Minnaloushe or Morrighan Monk. As Gabriel is drawn into their world, within weeks, he becomes enthralled with the sisters' intelligence and in love with one who keeps a secret diary, a journal that reveals how the sisters practice alchemy of the mind and the art of memory. Through this revelation, Gabriel learns which sister is the murderess, and he must stop her before she destroys him, as well.
While the ideas of mental alchemy, remote viewing, and divine knowledge seem esoteric, this book makes these concepts come alive. The plot moves effortlessly from vivid details to fast-paced action. Although a few plot twists near the end unfold too quickly, overall, this novel is an unconventional and stimulating story about witchcraft, relationships, and the power of the human mind.
--Rose Rankin
from Mysteries Magazine issue #20
Rated by buyers -
This book is a trove of fascinating ideas (the "memory palace" is particularly intriguing.) The main character is subtly drawn -- though the book is written mostly from his point of view, you see his flaws as well as his charms. The sisters are appropriately mysterious.
I wish, though, that the author had spent less time dealing with technology (she clearly wanted to ground the story in the present) and spent more time on the arcane aspects. I would have liked Gabriel to have more first-hand experience with the the memory palace and the mystery of his psychic abilities. The remote viewing came off as sort of clinical.
But I do recommend the book as casual reading. It's a fun book, without a lot going on underneath.
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