Conversations in the Abyss

by Michael Brookes

The second book in 'The Third Path' trilogy.

Stealing Lazarus’s miracle gifted him immortality. Combined with his natural ability of invading and controlling people’s minds this made him one of the most dangerous people on Earth.

But the miracle came with a price. His punishment was to be imprisoned within the walls of an ancient monastery and tormented by an invisible fire that burned his body perpetually. To escape the pain he retreated deep into his own mind.

There he discovers the truth of the universe and that only he can stop the coming Apocalypse.

Genres: Horror, Fantasy

148 pages, Paperback

First published February 6, 2013

About the author

Michael Brookes is a Game Consultant with Frontier Foundry so rather than making games he now helps publish other people's games. He is also a volunteer and committee member with the German Shepherd Dog Welfare Fund assisting mostly with their online activities. And because he decided that he isn't busy enough has various other projects on the go including a website attempting to chronicle the history of his local village and using AI art tools to illustrate a new edition of John Milton's Paradise Lost.

Reviews

[P.B. Cannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in a trilogy. I didn’t know this until I’d already started reading, and it took me a minute to get into it, but once I did, I discovered it is really a good read. The author has an easy writing style that flows well and suits the subject matter.

The story centers on a protagonist, the Deathless Man – so called because he stole the miracle of immortality from Lazarus - who has been imprisoned in a wall in a monastery. He is the focus of a prophecy which names him as the one who is to prevent or stop the apocalypse. This man, a not very likable person, is reluctant to participate, so he has to be convinced by a couple of archangels, one of whom is a fallen angel, that he should take the job.

There’s not a lot of action in this intermediate piece until near the end but it gets into some great metaphysical concepts designed to make you think. The story incorporates a lot of imagery from the Christian Bible, but gives a delightfully different take on God, heaven and hell, the Garden of Eden, how the universe was created, and the purpose of humans in the scheme of things.

There is a decent plot twist toward the end which I thought was a nice touch, and I must say that I’m looking forward to the third book because, as any good second book in a trilogy does, this one ends with a bit of a cliff-hanger. I’m also going to have to go back and read the first book as I want to see the whole story of just how the Deathless Man came to be stuffed into that wall.

If you enjoy books about angels and demons and speculations on how everything came to be and where it’s going (with a bit of horror thrown in for good measure), you’ll find this one will give you some food for thought.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Conversations in the Abyss is the second part of a trilogy and although you could read it as a standalone book I would recommend that you read volume one, The Cult of Me, first; although other readers who’ve reviewed the book just read it alone and thought it was great. I thought this book was amazing: there’s so much in it. If you like devils and demons there’s something for you; if you like to be horrified there’s something for you too; if you like a good old political thriller there’s plenty for you; if anticipating the apocalyptic is to your taste then there’s plenty for you as well. Once I got into it I couldn’t put it down and everything else was on hold until it was finished. Bringing all the strands of the book together is really well handled and despite the huge element of fantasy it’s entirely plausible. The ending is completely unexpected but brings the book to a great conclusion even though you are left stunned because the rest of the tale, of course, is in part three which I’m looking forward to reading because I really want to know what happens next!

[Theresea Wasson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book free in exchange for an honest review. This sequel to the book The Cult of Me continues after Lazarus has been destroyed. Imprisoned in a brick wall, he escapes into the Abyss, a portion of his mind where he can escape the torment of the fires that continually burn him. There he meets of with a few characters, and learns of the coming apocalypse, and that he can help divert it.

This sequel continues an interesting story line with our hero still being the anti-hero. Will he be on the side to help avert the end of the world or usher it in? I enjoyed this and look for more of the story.

[Joe Hempel · Rating 3 out of 5]

The sequel to Cult of Me adds another dimension to the world of the veil, as well as yet another doomsday. You finally get a sort of name to a face of the protagonist. He is called “The Deathless Man” and is heralded in some long lost and secret prophecies as the savior of the world, the one who prevents the end of the world from happening.

It begins as the last one ended with the yet unnamed character imprisoned behind the walls of the monastery. He learns that Lazarus is trying to escape from beyond the veil and cause havoc once again.

You also get the know about The Anti-Christ. While to his counterparts around the world he is looked as a compassionate leader, he is subtly positioning forces for his own gain to bring about the end of times.

Between Lazarus, and The Anti-Christ, you also meet a couple of Angels who explain a few things to “The Deathless Man” regarding the battle between Lazarus and Michael. The reason that Lazarus wants the end to happen, because he was denied the right to be in Heaven, so no body else should be allowed to walk the Earth either.

You have the same characters from the Church from Cult of Me in here as well. They are trying to figure out how to release The Deathless Man without have him take over as well, and to use them to prevent what they see as the end of days coming.

You won’t find out exactly what happens in this book, you’ll have to wait until the final volume. But you will have fun turning the pages sitting on the edge of your seat.

Bottom Line: Like the previous counterpart, this book suffers from more “telling than showing”. However, like the other one, it doesn’t change the fact that this is an enjoyable tale. The quotation issue from the previous book is also fixed in this. Each chapter is clearly set up and there is no confusion as to what is going on. I did have a strong feeling that Cult of Me and Conversations in the Abyss should have been one volume though, they lead right into each other. As this is being set up as a trilogy though, I do understand why they were separated. Michael Brookes has a promising future as a writer, and I look forward to reading more of his work.

[Carrie Slager · Rating 4 out of 5]

[Full disclosure: Michael Brookes sent me a free ebook in exchange for an honest review.]

I didn’t really like Conversations in the Abyss as much as I liked the first book in The Third Path trilogy, The Cult of Me. Not because it’s a bad book, but because it’s a completely different tone than the first book. I’d be lying if I said I hated Conversations in the Abyss, but I’m definitely feeling more neutral toward this book.

Part of my problem seems to be, as I said, the change in tone. Whereas the first book focused on the unnamed main character’s journey into evil and his subsequent saving of the world, this second book focuses more on the philosophical aspect of the coming Apocalypse. It seems that the Church’s actions at the end of the first novel may have inadvertently made the Apocalypse come a little sooner, but that’s beside the point. The point is that Michael Brookes is getting very philosophical in Conversations in the Abyss. There’s an interesting origins story of Heaven and Hell and the fall of Lucifer and also some explanation for why God isn’t intervening in the world. All from a Christian perspective, but it doesn’t get preachy. Just philosophical and if you’re someone who likes philosophy like I do, it’s fascinating.

Of course there’s some suspense and some amazing plot twists thrown in at the end, but there just wasn’t the kind of glued to the screen tension I felt in the first book. If you’re someone that doesn’t mind slow but consistent plots, Conversations in the Abyss is great, but if you’re looking for the energy of the first book you may be a little disappointed.

The characters were okay in this installment, but nothing more. From the brief glimpses we got of him, Pierre was a compelling Antichrist. Our unnamed narrator changed a little bit because of his predicament, but there was more focus on the dialogue between himself and the fallen angel Venet than on his characterization.

I give this book 3.5/5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars for Goodreads rating purposes.

[Theresa Cutts · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to win this book in a draw on a forum and I feel privileged to have done so. To me, the blurb doesn't do it justice, what drew me in was the prologue. I read that and was hooked.

Although the second book in a trilogy, having not read the first book did not diminish my enjoyment of this story and I will now go and read The Cult of Me

The story really does feel in the main like a conversation between The Deathless Man and the other protagonists. I rather enjoyed that style and found it made you have almost an empathy with the main character even though I am sure you are possibly not supposed to like him.

Without giving the story away, I loved the concepts about why/how heaven and hell and even the creation of earth occurred. Yes, it is a story, no I am not saying it is the gospel truth but I love a story that makes me think 'What if...' And the author has come up with some interesting theories.

This book is not a religious tract and not at all preachy, so please do not be put off simply because it has a religious theme. It is more about the character of the individuals and an interesting political commentary too. One is left with the thought that some of it just might be how it is!

I found this a quick read possibly due to the conversational style but was left with probably what the best endorsement I can give, I couldn't wait to finish it to pass it on to a friend. It is one of those books that you want to share so that you can discuss it with them after they have read it. A book has to really draw me in before I would recommend it to a friend, this one did.

Michael Brookes has created some fascinating characters that I can't wait to revisit in the next book.

[Gabriel Boutros · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this sequel to The Cult of Me, Brookes begins at the beginning...of everything! A quasi-religious, Big Bang beginning, which establishes the place of all beings, especially humans and Arch-angels, in the universe. In this highly entertaining supernatural thriller the Anti-Christ is preparing for the Apocalypse, and a small handful of people are rushing to stop him. But the book is not full of battle or chase scenes, nor Omen-like scenes of horror, nor is there even much in the way of political maneuvering. The strongest parts of the story are the many interspersed conversations between the Deathless Man (who first appeared in The Cult of Me), buried inside a monastery wall for his crimes, and two angels who may not necessarily represent all that is good and right in the universe. Through these conversations we get Brookes' take on Heaven and Hell, the struggle between Lucifer and the Arch-angel Michael, and the role that humanity plays in all this. These scenes are part philosophy, part religion, and always thought-provoking, and they lay out the history that has brought the unsuspecting the world to the precipice. The scenes in the real world are a bit underwritten, as if Brookes feels obliged to write about what's happening to the world, but this isn't where his real interest lies. Fortunately, the scenes of these conversations are what set this book apart from so many other stories about the battle between good and evil. They carried me to an ending which had me pining for the third volume of this trilogy.

[Jason Purdy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Conversations in the Abyss is the follow up to the novel The Cult of Me, and is an enjoyable read.

We follow the so called Deathless Man and his eventually discovery that he may be the prophesied saviour of the world. Spending time with him as he escapes the torment of the miracle and into the solace of his own mind and the abyss allows for us to really get to know him, and see a version of angels that are unique and for the most part, avoid cliches.

The story switches between the Deathless Man, The President of The EU, and the Friar, and each strand is interesting and engaging. The book almost suffers from being too short as the ending rushes to a conclusion and a Deus Ex Machina is offered late in the third act to make way for a sequel, but it still manages to get you excited for the sequel.

The writing, at times suffers from repetitiveness in words and phrases, and there are other minor niggles like that, which don't overly detract from the experience. Overall, this isn't the kind of genre I like and generally books that concern God/angels/the devil/anything theological are a turn off for me, but Conversations In The Abyss managed to dodge most conventions of these kind of books and was a great book.

I'll definitely be looking forward to the sequel, and checking out the prequel, too.

[Kath Middleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing novel which weaves together a number of strands. We meet The Deathless Man, an entity who has been imprisoned within the walls of a monastery and is visited by a good and a fallen angel. We meet a group of clerics from Rome who are chasing an ancient document, The Gospel of Lazarus and a newly discovered prophecy, and we follow the preparations made by The Antichrist for The End Times. It’s an intriguing tale and is very philosophical and metaphysical. I don’t think I’ve ever read anything quite like it.

There’s some wonderful imagery used here and the action of the story is exciting. There’s also considerable food for thought. If you’ve read Michael Brookes’ first novel, ‘The Cult of Me’ it will fill in some background on characters you meet here but it’s perfectly possible to appreciate this book on its own merits. Particularly at the beginning, I found some of this book rather lyrical, poetic, in its descriptions. I’m assuming there will be more. I’ll certainly be reading it.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

He stole Lazarus's gift of immortality, which combined with his ability to invade the minds of others, made him the most dangerous man in the world. Imprisoned deep within the walls of a monastery, he retreated deep into the recesses of his mind as an invisible fire scorched his body. It is here the Deathless man, discovers the apocalypse, and his role within it.

Before reading, "Conversations in the Abyss", I was unaware that it's the follow up to "The Cult of Me". Even though it's a sequel I was able to follow along with the story well enough with a few exceptions that I'll mention shortly.

The story is a bit mystery, biblical horror, and apocalyptic horror mixed into one. It weaves together many strands of side plots that in the end make for a good read.

My only complaint with this story, would be the opening pages where the author describes how the universe was created. It was confusing and verbose, and I almost stopped reading. I'm glad I didn't give up because it soon picked up and grabbed my attention.

[Babus Ahmed · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the sequel to The Cult of Me and is an unusual and absorbing read. The theme is the battle between good and evil, namely archangel Michael and fallen angel Lucifer. The arena stretches from heaven to hell and an imprisoned deathless man is a key player.

I loved the way this was written and I thoroughly enjoyed the imagery and theories put forward about why and how the world exists. This isn't a very long book and I read it in a day but had to take breaks to reflect on parts of it.

I rooted for the Deathless Man and was disappointed to find the conflict wouldn't finish in this book but I look forward to the next one. I don't like reading a series out of sequence so I am not sure if I will go back to read the first one in this series although this book stands alone quite magnificently. Things hot up after 80% in the book as the plot clarifies. I hope we don't have to wait long for the sequel.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Conversations in the Abyss is a supernatural horror-thriller, and is the second instalment in The Third Path trilogy. It centres on the protagonist - the Deathless Man - who having stolen Lazarus’ gift of immortality has been imprisoned within the walls of a monastery and is continuously burned with an invisible fire. He learns that he is the only one who can prevent the upcoming apocalypse by defeating the Antichrist.

Read the full review on my blog: http://yellowhairedreviewer.blogspot....

[Sara Boyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second part of 'The Cult of Me' but it can be read as a stand-alone novel as well because there's enough information in it to understand the story. Having read the first novel, I found this story more plot driven and was completely absorbed.
It's a good versus evil tale but every bit as unusual as the first book, featuring characters of the first novel and introducing some new ones. There's food for thought in this one as well and… room for a third instalment? I hope so and definitively look forward.
I enjoyed 'Conversations in the Abyss' and highly recommend it.

[Patti (baconater) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finished Micheal Brookes' Conversations in the Abyss yesterday and enjoyed it very much. I'm glad I had the opportunity to read most of it in one gulp as I don't think it could ever be classified as an 'easy read'. It requires thinking about, I'd say.
The prose is exemplary. Wonderful follow on from The Cult of Me
I look forward to the next book.

[ThymeOperator · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was given this book free in exchange for an honest review, via the Lovers of Paranormal group.

As with the first installment in this series ('The Cult of Me'), I had mixed feelings with this book. Our narrator is trapped in a prison, this time truly escaping through his mind, where he meets supernatural beings who can enter into that sphere of existence and communicate with him. There, they hold long philosophical discussions about the nature of the universe, God, creation, etc. This is paralleled with the priests on the outside and an impending doom that obviously must be stopped.

There were some really interesting ideas in this book. I particularly liked the way the author wove creationism together with evolution, rather than selecting one over the other. However, I thought the author needed to think through his ideas more. There were far too many instances where we would be told something that didn't make sense, the narrator himself would question what was meant by it, and the answer would be, 'I can't tell you.' If you plan on telling us at some point later down the line, fair enough, but that never happened. Therefore, this all struck me as the author not knowing either, so these 'I can't tell you' responses were just cop-outs. There were also too many inconsistencies or plot holes there. It leaves me with a lack of faith in the author to deliver a clever story, when so much isn't thought through.

I also, once again, found the conclusion too video gamey. For such a huge story line, I think you need something much more complicated, more powerful, much...just MORE. Furthermore, I've read two books in this series now and I don't care about the narrator. I don't even dislike him. I feel absolutely nothing for him, because I find him to be a non-character. All the characters feel like that. There wasn't any life in them, for me - nothing to attach myself to. And again, this book needs a lot of editing.

So this wasn't for me - but I want to note that it had a really interesting idea behind it, so perhaps it's for someone else.