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Mayan Interface

by Wim Coleman, Pat Perrin (Goodreads Author)

4.35 of 5 stars 4.35 · rating details · 17 ratings · 12 reviews

KINDLE EDITION FREE DEC 6-10

A speculative, visionary, and literary adventure. A master translator of glyphs, an archeologist, a museum curator, a computer genius, and an ancient priest-king are drawn into a dangerous convergence of realities in this multifaceted story.

Mayan Interface touches on mysticism, technology, archaeology, glyph translation, authentic Mayan history...more

Paperback, 314 pages

Published September 1st 2012 by Madeira Press

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May 01, 2013 Elizabeth (Stuffed Shelves) rated it 5 of 5 stars

If I can say anything about Mayan Interface, it would be that it is a very interesting read. I do not know much about Mayan history, except for what rumors have been spread about the December 2012 apocalypse, but I found myself very intrigued, especially about the Uay and the Zaztum. The main character is named Lydia Rosenstrom, an archeologist/shamen who is exploring Mayan ruins and translating Mayan glyphs. I can't tell you much more about the glyphs without giving away too much of the book.

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Jan 16, 2013 Sheila rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: cultural, current_issues, mystery, paranormal, relationships, spiritual, suspense

Intriguing, scary, haunting, inspiring… what other adjectives can I use? Wim Coleman and Pat Perrin have crafted a terrifying tale in their novel, Mayan Interface. But, intriguingly, the terror is so enticing you never beg the protagonist not go forward, begging her instead to try it and try it again. Best of all, the protagonist feels the same attraction, driven by the same curiosity, freed by the same sense of non-belonging that so characterizes modern society, and empowered by a wonderful mix...more Intriguing, scary, haunting, inspiring… what other adjectives can I use? Wim Coleman and Pat Perrin have crafted a terrifying tale in their novel, Mayan Interface. But, intriguingly, the terror is so enticing you never beg the protagonist not go forward, begging her instead to try it and try it again. Best of all, the protagonist feels the same attraction, driven by the same curiosity, freed by the same sense of non-belonging that so characterizes modern society, and empowered by a wonderful mix of intelligent analysis and creative inspiration.

The novel moves between Portland Oregon and Yucatan, rendering both places convincingly, recreating the Rose Garden and a thatch-roofed house with equal aplomb under the watchful gaze of the Milky Way. But in Mayan mythology, the Milky Way is more than a carpet of stars. And in modern understanding, there’s more to life than measurements and computer simulation.

“[W]hat doctors here call schizophrenia, folks there call magic and vision,” says Lydia, describing her experience of reality knit by myth and legend in Yucatan. A combination of measurable and mythic, science and story, past and future threads through these tales, with computer’s virtual reality almost as real as history, almost as true as feathered gods and priests in headdresses.

The mix of shamanic peace and scientific measurement in this novel is enthralling. Wonderful storytelling merges with the solid reality of archeological digs and complex computer programming, and a timely rejection of end-of-the-world simplicity. What stays with me most at story’s end is a tale told by one of the characters to another, of a divided brain, left and right, art and science, and how perhaps the truths of life lie somewhere in unity. But read the book; the characters tell these tales and follow this plot with much more intensity and feeling than I can convey.

Disclosure: I was lucky enough to be offered a free copy of this book. I’m just sorry it took me so long to get around to reading it. I really enjoyed it.(less)

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Dec 14, 2012 PJ Swanwick rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, spiritual

Award-winning visionary thriller a rollicking, thought-provoking read

"Mayan Interface," a new spiritual thriller from Wim Coleman and Pat Perrin, is a wonderful example of the growing genre of visionary fiction. Winner of the 2012 Silver Medal for Adventure Fiction from Living Now Book Awards, "Mayan Interface" is a marvelous mix of science, psychology, metaphysics, and mysticism packaged in a fast-paced thriller that keeps you guessing to the very end.

Spiritual/metaphysical content: Medium. Lyd...more Award-winning visionary thriller a rollicking, thought-provoking read

"Mayan Interface," a new spiritual thriller from Wim Coleman and Pat Perrin, is a wonderful example of the growing genre of visionary fiction. Winner of the 2012 Silver Medal for Adventure Fiction from Living Now Book Awards, "Mayan Interface" is a marvelous mix of science, psychology, metaphysics, and mysticism packaged in a fast-paced thriller that keeps you guessing to the very end.

Spiritual/metaphysical content: Medium. Lydia is an archaeologist and a practicing shaman in the Mayan tradition. The novel explores how ancient and contemporary shamans use crystals, tarot cards, and other tools to create a state of shamanic awareness or "wide focus," which encompasses both intense concentration and a free flow of thought, say the authors, in a "paradoxical feeling of reverie and alertness."

A fascinating aspect of Mayan Interface is the interplay of science and metaphysics. If you enter a computer-generated virtual reality in a shamanic state, the authors say, the virtual world becomes real. Is it magic? Is it reality? To the brain, it really doesn't matter; you experience what you think and perceive. In some cases, a somatic shift happens in your brain--your sensory apparatus "buys into" the illusion; what was cartoon-like before suddenly takes on depth, color and richness. That shift is not produced by the software but only by the brain, particularly if the individual has a rich inner life. Virtual reality can merge with shamanic reality. There is a fine line, say Coleman and Perrin, between shamanism and schizophrenia.

My take: This wonderful visionary fiction novel asks, What is truth--your sensory experience, or how your brain interprets that experience? (Perhaps there is more than one "truth" in any experience.) The plot seamlessly fuses computer science and metaphysics to explore this question and many more, including how the bicameral brain may have evolved during the height of the Mayan culture in a way that changed the very nature of human consciousness.

The authors incorporate broad-based research and attention to historical detail. For instance, Mayans have a rich oral tradition, but they do not tell stories--they "converse" them with other people. Story-telling is a participatory experience. The authors' detailed research into Mayan glyphs is integral to the plot, not just window dressing.

Coleman and Perrin are master storytellers, ratcheting up the suspense until nearly the last page. They are adept at unusual and effective character development for even minor characters (such as a nerd/poet). The spiritual novel's pace is rollicking, keeping you on the edge of your chair until the very end. Although the book is a fast and easy read its depth is surprising, pulling in principles from so many scientific and philosophical sources that your head swims with new concepts. Take, for example, the importance of story: ". . . that's what stories do. Re-write the mind." What greater goal could fiction have?(less)

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Sep 20, 2012 Mardi Orlando rated it 5 of 5 stars

In the epoch of miracles, a “time which includes this time and all times, there is a macaw and a there is also a living skeleton … they are the best of friends.”

We are plunged into this intriguing and stunningly well written tale filled with Mayan magic and breathtaking imagery with an ancient and unusual sacrifice only to be torn away again to meet Lydia Rosenstrom, an ancient Mayan translator, who has been working with the archeological team in Yucatan. Lydia’s world has been focused on her wo...more In the epoch of miracles, a “time which includes this time and all times, there is a macaw and a there is also a living skeleton … they are the best of friends.”

We are plunged into this intriguing and stunningly well written tale filled with Mayan magic and breathtaking imagery with an ancient and unusual sacrifice only to be torn away again to meet Lydia Rosenstrom, an ancient Mayan translator, who has been working with the archeological team in Yucatan. Lydia’s world has been focused on her work, but after helping create a virtual world of the Mayan landscape she finds herself in a three-fold dilemma.

“Why have time passing, moving us from babyhood to age to death, separating us from everyone and everything that lives before and after?”

The vision serpent is a gateway between the otherworld and the world of mortals and Lydia’s life is thrown into chaos when she finds herself traversing this opening and “cascading across the centuries”.

There are so many moments in this complex and elegantly written novel where I was crying out “No! Don’t do that!” And yet another part of me was cheering Lydia on. This story was so cleverly written I was speaking out loud to it telling it how amazing it was - but don’t be put off thinking it is written in a way to exclude those of us who simply love stories. In fact, this is perfect storytelling – with intertwined tales all neatly tied up by the brilliant ending.

We are invited into the world of archeology and Mayan magic with words that sparkle and intrigue. The characters are beautifully formed and the imagery is superb. I was there in the Virtual Reality globe, walking the temple steps, conversing with Itzam-Yeh, watching Lydia face the challenges with her three entities, her present self, Charon and Ix Kalem, and praising her willingness to transform.

According to Mayan Legend, the story is always happening, whether it be in the future or the past. It certainly didn’t stop when I read the last page. Somehow I feel like the story has always been a part of me.

But:
“That’s what stories can do.
Re-write the mind.”

An absolute must read.
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Apr 15, 2013 Susan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Mayan Interface by Wim Coleman and Pat Perrin is a great read. I know very little about Mayan history and computer programing so I can't tell you how realistic any of this is but it still engaged me in its magical grasp. Once I started it, I hated when I had to put it down. It is not packed with action scenes nor is it a boring history book but it has both action and history in it and so much more. It is a mystery that has me looking at history a little differently and makes me wonder, what if?...more Mayan Interface by Wim Coleman and Pat Perrin is a great read. I know very little about Mayan history and computer programing so I can't tell you how realistic any of this is but it still engaged me in its magical grasp. Once I started it, I hated when I had to put it down. It is not packed with action scenes nor is it a boring history book but it has both action and history in it and so much more. It is a mystery that has me looking at history a little differently and makes me wonder, what if? It is also about the spiritual with the Uay and mystical with the Zaztum and so much more.

The main character is Lydia Rosenstrom who is an archaeologist and shaman exploring Mayan ruins and translating Mayan glyphs in Yucatan but she leaves Yucatan to go to Portland. Her niece works at a museum there and is making an exhibit that has a virtual reality (VR) stroll through Mayan temples so visitors can see how the village looked. There are these plastic bubbles and the visitor stands in and puts on this type of headgear that allows them into this virtual world of long ago. When Lydia learns her niece died of fright in one of these bubbles she stayed in Portland to try and find out what had happened to her. How did she die in the virtual world as there is nothing in there that would cause a death unless someone tampered with the program, but who? She suspected the one person who has his own private access to this world, but why would he do such a thing?

This is not the only thing going on in the story although to me it is like the main plot, the one that starts the rest (aside from the fact that Lydia is trying to translate the glyphs). I have said enough about the plot since I don't want to give any spoilers but what I will say is that there are many layers to this story each holding its own magic, mysteries and warnings. There is another member of Lydia's archaeological team back in Yucatan and the storyteller is telling stories to him.These stories are things passed down generation to generation and a lot is learned about the Mayan through these stories. Also, a lot is learned by Lydia's experiences in the VR world. Not only about Mayan history but about herself and reality. All of these are braided together in this cleverly written story. Just as three strands in a braid are separate but are twisted in a way that they come together time and time again to make one braid so does this story. At no time did I feel I couldn't grasp what was going on nor did I feel like I was bounced from one thing to another. Instead, this was written with such fluidity that it was seamless and flowed naturally.

The authors described the scenes so spectacular that it was like I was in that VR bubble since I could see it laid out before me. It was extremely easy to visualize and if you are cooking dinner and you also smell that incense, put the book down and turn your stove off. You just burned dinner so you are having pizza tonight! (I did that, that is how engrossed I was in it.) Even the characters were described beyond the usual and they were all well developed.

While reading the book, I was on the edge of my seat a few times wondering what will happen next. Then I would put the book down to make dinner (more like burn dinner) or sleep and I would find myself wondering what if certain things were that way? Is reality something we only perceive on one level although there are many that make it up? Are we who we think we are? Is she who she thinks she is? It had me guessing all the way to the spectacular ending.

I highly recommend this book.
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Dec 04, 2012 Leonide Martin rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Those with interest in ancient Mayas

One of the best books on a Mayan theme that I have read! An author is an epigrapher and uses this background to create a fascinating plot that unfolds around translating Mayan glyphs. As a Maya researcher and author, I found descriptions from Maya literature (eg, Popol Vuh) accurate and poetically woven into the action. The story is compelling and keeps you intrigued, its a page-turner. Characters are distinct, quirky, and well-developed. The premise that you can interact with the ancient Maya w...more

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Sep 01, 2012 Jodine Turner rated it 4 of 5 stars

Mayan Interface is an exciting, deeply layered adventure tale that raises questions about the very nature of reality. Ancient Mayan translator Lydia Rosenstrom is thrown into a technologic virtual world that cleaves the ancient Mayan past, the present, as well as the realm of the Shaman. Lydia must learn to navigate this seemingly surreal experience using her free will and intuition when the danger of these worlds colliding threatens her very existence. This is a story that will speak to every o...more

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May 03, 2013 Esme Ellis rated it 4 of 5 stars

They say you should never judge a book by its cover - but I do. I tend to go by my first sensory impressions - aided by my aesthetic judgement. I responded favorably to the cover - its well-chosen typefaces for the simple two-word title with its emphasis on the first word, MAYAN, which locates us, taking us right to the heart of the matter. The secondary word, INTERFACE, placed beneath, where a swirl of diaphanous fabric, apparently drawing itself back like a cloud curtain, invites us, like the...more They say you should never judge a book by its cover - but I do. I tend to go by my first sensory impressions - aided by my aesthetic judgement. I responded favorably to the cover - its well-chosen typefaces for the simple two-word title with its emphasis on the first word, MAYAN, which locates us, taking us right to the heart of the matter. The secondary word, INTERFACE, placed beneath, where a swirl of diaphanous fabric, apparently drawing itself back like a cloud curtain, invites us, like the female silhouetted on the cover, to step into the mystery beyond.

In reviewing this book, I can’t help referring constantly back to myself, to its impact on me personally, how deeply, or otherwise, I was engaged by the story, became involved in its message, rather than attempt a more critical or intellectual approach. This actual reality object, this book which you hold in your hand, is a physical being; you touch it, feel it, smell it. Opening it, stepping into its interior, its typography, good paper, intriguing hand-drawn glyphs, offer a certain reassurance, at least to this reader. But one doesn't go lightly into any new experience without some wariness or even trepidation. Would my favorable first impressions be sustained as the story progressed?

It was slow to involve me. I questioned the opening chapter. Was it too much of a literary contrivance to be presented with that horror scene of an ancient botched sacrifice? Was this the ‘hook’ that authors are urged to employ to seduce attention-deficient readers? My critical mind had barred the way, but as I read further, my reservations were soon overcome. More than a millennia on now we were into the present-day world of archeology, scholarship, shamanism and supernatural vision, unearthing a past where even words play tricks which mirror present-day meanings and give entry into a possible future.

The magic of words has much resonance for me. The imprint on the page, or casually carved into an ancient stone surface have a life and an energy which go beyond the duality of right/wrong, right brain/left brain, and the linear timescale that we are programed to inhabit.

We are taken into a world where cutting-edge science meets bewildering and life-threatening challenges from the beginnings of creation, in order to fulfill that imminent 2012 Mayan calendar prophesy. A world where a virtual reality globe in a museum holds unexpected and inexplicable terrors, and where the computer which controls it seems to have developed extraordinary powers of its own volition. Layer upon layer, mystery within mystery. If all this intrigues you I urge you to read it. Esme Ellis
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Sep 24, 2012 Jan Crider rated it 3 of 5 stars

I have never read anything from this genre before and this was a fun experience for me. Many "Hmm...what?" moments. There are different story lines - one in present time and one back during the time of the Mayans, and then a third portion where the two times overlap. I was interested when the different settings/people were introduced but really intrigued by the ideas presented during the overlap. Is free will something that humans have had since they existed,or was it an abrupt change, the resul...more

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Oct 27, 2012 Nadine May rated it 5 of 5 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Not only is the story plot riveting, but the creative way in which me, as the reader, could explore the virtual reality game by visiting a prehistoric events at the time the Mayan culture was fascinating. Some of the style of writing reminded me of Carlos Castaneda.

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Jan 15, 2013 Beth rated it 4 of 5 stars

Fascinating! Not exactly time travel, but a connection between the present and the last days of the Classic Mayan Civilization through a virtual reality-enhanced shamanic vision. Explores deep concepts, yet is easy to read due to the fine, expressive writing. Highly recommended!

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Apr 07, 2013 Deirdre Moore rated it 5 of 5 stars

Several times while I read Mayan Interface I found myself saying aloud things like, "Don't go IN there!" and "Where's your uay?" Which is to say I was deeply involved with the story and characters. It occurs to me I'd like to read a biography of Nacho. If you don't know what I mean, then you must read this -- fun, thrilling, compelling. I'll come back and read it again one day.

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About Wim Coleman

Wim grew up in Iowa. He is a playwright whose works have won national awards and have been presented in New York and Los Angeles. He has worked in theater as an actor, director, scene shop foreman, and set designer — and has also been an editor, pizza cook, waiter, and bartender. Many of his more recent books are written in collaboration with his wife, Pat Perrin. Wim Coleman and Pat Perrin have w...more

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Juggler in the Wind (The Wand Bearer, #1)

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