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Mors ultima linea
rerum
Flemish copperplate print, ca. 1570 Mors ultima linea rerum
Translation of inscription from Prosper Tiro of
Aquitaine:
"You flourish in wealth, and boast of the society of
the great and
powerful; you rejoice in the beauty of the body and the honours which
men pay to you. Consider yourself, that you are mortal, that you are
earth, and into the earth you shall go."
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BOOK
ILLUMINATIONS
From Merrimon Book Reviews
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Torn
by Chris Jordan
Fascinating,
creepy modern twist on the classic
fanatical cult theme
Already
reeling from the death of her husband, Haley Corbin faces a mother's
worst nightmare when the her son alongside over 100 other schoolchilden
are taken hostage by a madman. As the SWAT team plans to enter,
suddenly the gymnasium explodes. When every child escapes except
her son Noah, Haley frantically searches for clues. Was her son
killed? Did he wander away? Or is there some other more
nefarious explanation for her son's disappearance? Should she
heed the ominous statement made by her husband in the days preceding
his death? Was her son kidnapped? Desperate to find real
answers, Haley hires ex-FBI agent Randall Shane. Randall isn't
sure what to make of Haley. Is she merely a mother unable
to accept the death of her son as so many claim? The more he
investigates, the more he uncovers eerie coincidences and alliances
between the people at the scene of the gym explosion. As the
Haley and Randall join forces, the trail leads to a remote area in the
Rocky Mountains to a fanatical cult whose wealth and power extends way
beyond the reach of their hidden compound. Haley and Randall must
race to uncover the truth behind Noah's disappearance and protect their
lives as well. The cult will do anything to maintain power and
hide its secrets.
Chris Jordan's TORN is a fast
paced thriller with a fascinating modern twist on the classic fanatical
cult theme. The mysterious unsettling prologue sets the
scene for the strangeness that underlies the heart of the cult's
desperation. Chris Jordan writes these one sentences at the end
of a scene or chapter that chill to the bone. Chris
Jordan's characterization of Haley Corbin as a woman with emotion
without overdoing it makes her a refreshing and active part of the
investigation. Despite the grief that infuses her life, she is
intelligent and highly competent. In his portrayal of Noah and
the mother and child bond, Chris Jordan reaches the perfect balance
without being too sappy, sentimental or too cute. One scene
towards the end is wonderfully twisted.
After such a wonderful pace throughout the novel, the ending feels a
little rushed in the final action scene. Even though action is action
and requires a fast pace to achieve a certain effect, Chris Jordan
seems to skip over what he does best in the quickening of the
pace. This author has such a talent for writing very chilling
scenes in a sentence or in a quiet moment, that I can't help but think
that the final movement towards resolution might have been ripe for
inclusion of what he does so well to build additional mind-chilling
suspense.
Chris Jordan's TORN will
appeal to suspense lovers who prefer intrigue over violent shocking
crime details, to readers who prefer a clever puzzle that unfolds
through an examination of clues and connections over the serial killer
thriller in the suspense genre. Creepy and twisted in a more
subtle way, Chris Jordan examines a side of the modern wealth culture
turned extreme and values often considered good turned to a creepy
end. Chris Jordan's TORN
may not keep a reader up with the lights on into the wee hours of the
night from fear, but TORN
will certainly keep the pages flying late in the evening in intrigue to
figure out how all the pieces come together! Chris Jordan's TORN is a very welcome voice to
this suspense lover!
Publisher: Mira (February 2009)
Reviewed by Merrimon,
Merrimon Book Reviews
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