Glossolalia

by Tantra Bensko

What if your subconscious determined the fate of nations?

SPIES AND POLITICS - CONSPIRACIES/ASSASSINATIONS ... No one but her uncle will hire Nancy, considering her habit of snapping out of amnesiac fugues, wondering how she got her bruises and the scent of men's cologne. When she sees a crime of poison in progress at her uncle's pesticide company, she chases the truck carrying away the chemical legally deemed too toxic to use or to dump. Her pursuit leads to more earthshaking discoveries than she'd imagined, in a convoluted world of international political intrigue and assassination, dark romance, esoteric occult rituals based on an Elizabethan spy code and CIA practices.

This political conspiracy suspense novel introduces a young woman with an ambiguous past involving herself in a killer organization with the engagement of one layer after another of her psyche. The Agents of the Nevermind series dares to explore the edgiest controversies and the complicated lives that disinformation-dispensing intelligence agents must endure as they create bizarre delusions in order to hide the uncomfortable truth about the financial foundation of their country's power.

Fights, chases, edgy sex, power to the people, twists and turns, secret rooms, missing time, and bold truth rarely found in novels until now.


This strong female protagonist introduces the Agents of the Nevermind, a propagandistic branch of intelligence performing esoteric social engineering and conspiracies to assassinate -- unless the gullible populace wises up and bravely resists the mind control. The Occult Revival in this series leads to unlikely heroes and dark romance. Heart-pounding entertainment illuminates our own reality.

"Glossolalia is a fast-paced, quirky book that lives up to its tagline of being a “psychological suspense thriller” while also being extremely fun to read. Bensko balances the heavy themes of abuse, mind control, nefarious companies that are destroying the environment, and government conspiracies with tongue-in-cheek humor and a surreal edge. I empathized with Nancy as she uncovered and dealt with the secrets of her past buried in her own head, and I laughed along with her when her gluten- and sugar-intolerant body insisted on eating desserts–and lusted after the handsome Julio. Glossolalia sparkles with Bensko’s unique prose style, and ultimately left me feeling uplifted, even as I found myself thinking about the things we all might prefer to keep buried." -- Deborah Steinberg Fiction Editor, Rivet Journal and Red Bridge Press

Spy thrillers in the old cartoonish formula of good CIA VS bad guys no longer are fresh and relevant. It's time for the new wave of books unafraid of realism, such as we see in Barry Eisler's spy thrillers. But it can still be outrageously entertaining! While everything in the book could occur, this novel also has an occasional dreamy atmosphere that has been compared to David Lynch films about corruption behind the scenes and the elite's surreal, disturbing sex rituals in Eyes Wide Shut. Please be aware that if you buy the used books, they're very possibly proofs, with the usual associated errors.

Genres: Fiction

247 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 10, 2016

About the author

Multi-gold medal winning novelist living in California.

My contemporary psychological suspense series is The Agents of the Nevermind. The intelligence agents manage cults, secret societies, propaganda, false flags, hypnosis, mind control, occult and paranormal movements, media theater, entertainment, blackmail, murder. Their social engineering forms public opinion and behaviors.

Can they be outwitted?

Even when the protagonists are under their influence?

I edit manuscripts with Book Butchers. I teach fiction writing through UCLA X Writing Program, Writers.com, and my Online Writing Academy. I have a couple hundred stories in magazines and anthologies, an MA from FSU and MFA from the Iowa Writers' Workshop.

Since Goodreads says the Youtube videos are invalid for some reason, here are the trailers for the novels:

Glossolalia: Psychological Suspense

https://youtu.be/B1dlvUgiFL4

Remember to Recycle: Psychological Suspense

https://youtu.be/t5ZynXe1pys

Reviews

[James Morcan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Glossolalia reads like addictive mind control!

I sense author Tantra Bensko uses hypnotic phrases, either consciously or unconsciously, that makes the reader addicted to reading these pages. In fact, by the end of reading this outstanding suspense novel I was like a happy mind control victim!! It’s almost as if while you are going vicariously on the journey that the lead character – the intriguing Nancy – goes on, your mind enters a similar complex psychological state to the character. By the end, it actually feels as if a neurological Pandora’s Box occurs and you barely even remember what day it is or your own name. Wow, what a unique literary experience this book is.

The entire premise of Glossolalia, and all the intricacies of this “fictional” story, reads like non-fiction – albeit a reality many mainstream readers might naively assume is not reality based. But it is and Tantra is obviously very well-researched. Virtually all of the subjects covered are Wikileaks-style truths such as Western nations controlling vulnerable Third World nations, the CIA and other intelligence agencies purposefully creating multiple personalities in some agents, illegal sex rings of the Elite, etc, etc. The reality-based story not only makes it all the more powerful, but it also means the reader is educated along the way…not in a laborious manner or dry fashion, but this book simply teaches you little known and shocking facts in an organic fashion as you experience the intense story.

Nancy discovers she is part of a major conspiracy involving an occult-based secret order called the Nevermind and even finds out her traumatic past has been influenced by the ruthless agents of the Nevermind. In the end, the truth about her kaleidoscopic past, and the Nevermind agency itself which has infiltrated every aspect of the U.S. Government, all comes to a head in dramatic fashion.

I also like how this is full of all the usual suspense you expect from a thriller, but told with rich, poetic language that paints images in your mind. Glossolalia is a good mix of commercial and literary fiction and if ever turned into a film it would be one of those rare Hollywood blockbusters that has all the excitement but told in an indie/arthouse style that challenges audiences.

[Grady · Rating 5 out of 5]

“It’s got to be fun being ageless. I want to know your secret.”

California author Tantra Bensko has published ten books and I included in a number of anthologies. Her degrees include an MFA from the Iowa Writers Workshop and she has studied the methods of social engineering through manipulation of mass beliefs which she blogs about social engineering at Agents of the Nevermind. Tantra teaches fiction writing through UCLA X Writing Program, Writers.com, and her own Online Writing Academy. GLOSSOLALIA (‘Glossolalia or speaking in tongues, according to linguists, is the fluid vocalizing of speech-like syllables that lack any readily comprehended meaning’) is a psychological suspense thriller that is Book 1 of her series The Agents of Nevermind.

Tantra pulls us into her well titled novel with a mixture of all the elements we will encounter as the novel move forward – the bizarre, humor, concepts awaiting to be developed, and a fine image of our protagonist – ‘What was the sound outside D-CIDE’s office window? Clinks and bangs. One boom was so loud Nancy clasped her pale, slender hands over her ears. Tuning things out was her superpower. “Have any plans for the weekend?” the tall secretary, Martha, loudly asked her, leaning over her desk in the office, as she grabbed a floating hair lit up by the evening sun. Martha elaborately waved her hands in front of Nancy’s face as she did so. Nancy got confused by the motion and forgot what she’d been thinking about. Oh yes, the weekend. It was Friday already. “Fighting.” Nancy spoke with her head high and her shoulders back, her rosy cheeks plumped with a confident smile. D-CIDE’S saleswoman, Betsy, looked Nancy up and down and said, “What, shadow boxing?” Nancy laughed and said, “You know, uncle Geoff told me I was so upset by my shadow when I first noticed it, I pounded my fists on the sidewalk trying to beat it up.” (Geoff was pronounced like Joff.) “He said I didn’t know my own strength. And that’s when he first decided I should have fighting lessons. Been studying ever since.” She chuckled, “And fighting off my shadow, too!” “Who’s winning?” chirped Betsy, grinning. “Honey, if you could team up with your shadow and fight together, I’ll bet you’d be able to take us all on at the same time.” “I’d never have pictured you as a brawler, Nancy-Pants. More like a fashion model.”

It is so rare to find a writer who can combine abuse, mind control, corporations bent on destroying the environment, and government conspiracies with cocky humor and a sci-fi overtones. But Tantra does just that. In her synopsis enough of the story’s secrets are revealed to entice the curious reader – ‘ What if your subconscious determined the fate of nations? No one but her uncle Geoff would hire Nancy, considering her habit of snapping out of amnesiac fugues, wondering where she got her bruises and the scent of men's cologne. When she sees a crime of poison in progress at his company, D-CIDE, she chases the truck carrying away the chemical legally deemed too toxic to use or to dump. Her pursuit leads to a convoluted world of political intrigue, esoteric rituals, an arcane Elizabethan spy code, and assassinations she never imagined – though her imagination is what holds that world together. This conspiracy novel introduces a young woman with an ambiguous past involving herself in a killer organization with one layer after another of her psyche. Through a fictionalized intelligence agency, the books in this series dramatize the shady side of covert experiments, creating destabilizing coups for profit, media theater, psychological warfare, and illicit methods of funding dark ops. The Agents of the Nevermind series dares to explore the edgiest controversies and the convoluted lives intelligence agents must endure as they create bizarre delusions for the world in order to hide the truth about their nation's financial foundation.’

Tantra’s story is mindboggling – in a good way. While films and television series attempt to push borders of belief with the help of CGI, Tantra accomplishes this goal better with just words. She is extraordinarily fascinating. Highly recommended for thinking readers.

[E.L. Lindley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Glossolalia by Tantra Bensko has the subtitle, a psychological suspense, but I’m not sure this reflects the true nature of the novel. It’s a story that is impossible to categorise and quite possibly the most unique book I’ve ever read.

It’s a complex and surreal story which highlights lots of modern dilemmas, chiefly by using irony and exaggeration. The imagery that Bensko creates is both visual and bizarre. The only way I can think of to explain it is – imagine staring at a Salvador Dali painting whilst on speed because the pace of the novel is almost neck breaking.

Bensko’s protagonist is a character called Nancy. It’s quite difficult to get a real sense of Nancy as, due to her fragmented mental state, she is a very unreliable narrator. She is being used as a pawn by a group called the Neverminds, who are basically running a mind control programme. Nancy has been split into compartments by the Neverminds so that she is three different personalities. They accomplished this by traumatising her as a young child and then keeping her medicated.

The novel works on the premise that the world is controlled by an alliance of the US government, church and big business, who use mind control to ensure that the world is run as they see fit. The glossolalia of the title is a language used by the powers that be to create a hypnotic effect. Hence once they hypnotise someone they use the secret language to control their behaviour. Bensko offers us a world where power corrupts. Nancy works for her Uncle Geoff, an agent of Nevermind and the owner of D-CIDE, an unscrupulous pesticide company. The chemical XXX which is used in the pesticide is known to have killed both humans and animals but the corruption within the establishment is such that Geoff is given the job of investigating chemicals that are harmful to the environment.

Geoff colludes with the charismatic Reverend Terry Crank who has incredible power within the church despite being a sexual deviant. He is also an agent of Nevermind and uses his position to control and eliminate any opponents of the status quo.

The levels of corruption run so deep it’s hard to know who is part of the Nevermind conspiracy and who is actually a genuine character. The main anti-Nevermind voice is an activist called Elias Brandon who runs an online blog exposing wrong doing. He is so shrouded in mystery and bizarre however, it just adds another layer of distrust and confusion.

Nancy also has an online friend called Jeff who, when he visits her turns out to be a sinister childhood associate with hands fashioned to look like flamingos, which he then uses to control her mind. There is a love interest called Julio who again seems like a shadowy character which makes us doubt his authenticity.

There is no doubt that Bensko is a talented, intelligent writer and she successfully gets us to question everything by making us doubt our own perceptions. She maintains control over her writing despite taking it to such surreal heights that her readers have no choice but to suspend all reality.

I suspect that Glossolalia will appeal to a niche audience who will absolutely love it. The problem I had is that I didn’t really get it and this was more to do with me than the actual novel. It’s a bit like some people love Terry Gilliam films whilst others are left feeling out of the loop. I’m not sure if my inability to connect was cultural because the book is very American or caused by the fact that I’m quite conventional and couldn’t immerse myself fully into the madness.

I would definitely recommend that you give Glossolalia a try. It’s a brave and unique story and Tantra Bensko is an assured writer. I’m willing to bet that if you connect with it this novel may well turn out to be one of your all time favourites.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a captivating and complex book, thrilling and so much going on. There are so many connections running, it's hard to imagine they could work out in time. Definitely kept me on the edge of my seat.

[LyndaVee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nancy often finds herself recovering from a fugue state, hours seem to have been lost from her day (or night), she is often in a state of disarray or suffering from a bladder infection when she has not had sex. What has been happening? This is a chilling thriller of mind manipulation to create an army of people doing illegal and immoral things - like killing - for their country without even knowing it. Nancy slowly realises that she is several different people: one is an innocent young girl who stars in children’s films, and the other a man-eater who uses sex to get her way. She is also Nancy who tries to hold down a job and relate to people in a normal manner. Nancy discovers that’s she has been groomed and abused by her loving uncle, Geoff, since she was a small child, and he medicates her with ‘jollys’ to keep her docile. Nancy’s awakening forms the plot of this novel. Much in the style of the Manchurian Candidate and the Bourne Identity, the American government and organised Christian religion are behind the brainwashing of the ‘agents’. I have absolutely no problem with believing this – I think it is already happening - and the author also has much to say about the brainwashing of children and young people through the movies they are allowed to see and the news they are allowed to read.

[Chelseyam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whenever I find a book that combines a little thrill with a lot of abnormal psychology, I am usually drawn in straight away. This novel does just that and then some. I love the main character Nancy who is quite out of the ordinary. Her unpredictable nature and odd quirks make her a true star in this book. I can’t wait to see if this story is continued just to see what she does next.
The writing itself is a lot of fun to read and will have you on your toes. There’s so much going on that I had to go back and reread at times, but it was well worth it just to understand the story. I love the author’s writing style because I don’t think I’ve ever come across writing quite like it before. The unique voice combined with the material of the story make this a book a read you won’t want to miss out on.

[Danielle Urban · Rating 5 out of 5]

Glossolalia caught my attention at first by its cover alone. The cover spoke to me in a way that perked my interest. I looked at the front cover and it appeared similar to what one would see in a modern retelling of Alice in Wonderland. Then the title was the next item that caught my interest. It's an unusual title that I don't normally run across on books. I am an avid reader and this book was so peculiar that I couldn't pass it. I just had to read it.

Tantra Bensko's novel, Glossolalia, is a complex and most compelling read that I have ever laid eyes upon...the book consists of several different genres and combinations that make it a powerfully engaging read. Suspenseful, check. Conspiracy, check. A political thriller, check. Science fiction fantasy double-check. Alternate universe double checked. Readers worldwide can find a little of everything within this stunning novel. This tale is full of action and intrigue from page one to the last page. Mind control, murder, and sex. All of these interesting things woven into a surprising story that will blow readers' minds away. I just finished reading this and now, I am looking forward to the next brilliant adventure by the talented writer.

Here, we have a masterfully woven novel that brings the most unusual events into a fascinating world of fiction. Glossolalia means speaking in tongues. A young woman, Nancy, is the leading female character that instantly grabs readers attention. She does things like chasing after a truck that dumps harmful chemicals, works at her uncle's firm that kills animals, and fighting. There's never a dull moment. The main character suffers from bouts of amnesia. She takes us through her entire life and into a mystical land. This is the first book in the psychological suspense series called The Agents of The Nevermind. I am looking forward to reading the rest of this intoxicating fantasy series by Tantra Bensko. Glossolalia takes readers on an environmental and psychological journey. Overall, I highly recommend it to all.

[Timothy Hucks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tantra Bensko’s novel Glossolalia gives deep insight into the darkest of human impulses, and lends credence to the phrase, “Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

It deftly delves into the question of personhood vs. a person’s role in society. In the novel, the chemical company, the church, and the government see harmony as dictatorship, or the desires of the elite few deciding the futures of the many, while Nancy values and desires personal freedom, not simply to be a cog in a machine, a feat particularly difficult for her to achieve, given her fugue states that send make her an extremely unreliable narrator.

This congeals into one of the more unsettling conceits of the book, “Glossolalia” itself. The idea is that Nancy is being controlled by a confluence of church and state, and she doesn’t know it. In a situation of art deeply imitating life, the takeaway is that if you were under that kind of control, you wouldn’t know that you were, and therefore be powerless to resist. However, knowledge is resistance.

The novel terrifies the reader by attacking perception. The problems that Nancy faces are not only in the world she inhabits, but inside her own mind. Part of the problem has to deal with her perception of the outside world, the most frightening of all, because perception is the only means by which we understand the world. If we cannot trust it, then what (or whom) can we trust?

The novel also frightens us by highlighting how much we owe to others, and how fragile our systems of society really are, based on norms and unspoken contracts rather than actual rule. Even as Nancy discovers more and more about the world in which she lives, it doesn’t matter as much as how many people know about it, and how many are willing to stand against it.

The novel offers a bleak, but redeeming picture of ignorance vs. knowledge, bravery vs. cowardice, and fact vs. fiction. Bensko’s Glossolalia thrills from the first page to the last, answering some questions and leaving others for the and some for the audience to ponder for a long time.

[Igor Eliseev · Rating 5 out of 5]

How to reconcile the search for truth with the right to privacy? It’s not always a straightforward task as the right balance had to be struck between the desire to continue to believe and trust with hope and a wish to give voice to our plight and improve our lives in a fair, balanced and independent manner.
If you like roller coasters at all, it’s going to be absolutely mind-blowing to ride this thing – Glossolalia: Psychological Suspense by Tantra Bensko. The book has a lively story line and I anxiously returned to its reading after putting it down for a while. I suspected how the book would end, but Tantra’s development of it was thought-provoking, plausible and entertaining. Among other things, I liked the different mental states of Nancy which are gradually incorporated in the inert mass of the maybe-reality, combining the physical sensations with the imaginary experiences. The development of the plot is in permanent movement and does not stop even for a minute, escalating the significant messages, morals and thought-provoking questions that still needed to be addressed.
Some books that engage me that way leave me edgy but this had a nice, steady pace to it. The author kept my attention with the twists and turns and even made me wonder about the heroine. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and look forward to the next.

[Julie Porter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spoilers: Of the New Books I have read for this blog, I would say Tantra Bensko's novel, Glossolalia is certainly the most bizarre, most confusing but I will also say that it is the most engrossing and hardest to put down.



The plot is one third psychological thriller, one third conspiracy theory, and one part alternate universe with a lot of dark fantasy thrown in. It could be a mess with so many genres battling for dominance but it is the strange narrative that makes it so compelling. It would be interesting to see if the book takes off to become a movie or a series. It definitely has a dark Twilight Zone-early season X Files- Jason Bourne movies vibe and could do well alongside those and other well known titles.



The novel's universe exists in an Alternate United States where occultism is the preferred religion. Also there is a sinister organization called Agents of the Nevermind which seems to have its tentacles in just about every business and government organization from schools, to corporations, to reality television (explains a lot), to blockbuster Hollywood films, to the half time productions at the Super Bowl. They are in charge and the frightening thing about it is that while some may rebel, the majority of the populace are either in denial or are too terrified to do anything about them.



With good reason too. The Agents of the Nevermind are prone to using just about anything to achieve their goals and that includes brainwashing, drug therapy, subliminal messaging, and an odd cocktail combination of magic and science to create the perfect sleeper agents.

While the Agents of the Nevermind would make some Readers roll their eyes over their obvious evilness, there is an understated quality that makes the situations horrific and at the same time believable.



For example their plot to create subliminal messages during the halftime show of the Super Bowl to wake up sleeper agents on paper sounds like something that could come out of Pinky and the Brain. Thankfully, Bensko focuses on the psychological torture that the sleeper agents would go through under the circumstances particularly one of the football players who comes to a bad end because of the mental torture. Bensko gives us the results of such a situation that makes these potentially ludicrous situations more terrifying and somehow more real.



The effects of living in such a world is traumatic for all the characters particularly the lead. Our Protagonist, Nancy is in for quite a bit of trouble. She is a martial arts student and works for her greedy uncle's toxic chemical factory. One day she stumbles upon some of her uncle's employees illegally dumping chemicals. After a frightening car chase, Nancy plans to report the dumping to a concerned citizens environmental bureau only to discover that number gets rerouted to her uncle's office! (So in other words the guy who is in charge of cleaning up environmental disasters is also the one who makes them in the first place.)



Finding no help through legal channels, Nancy seeks help from outside sources to report her findings. She goes through the obligatory uncertainty over who to trust by confiding too much in people that she shouldn't and withdrawing from people who are legitimately trying to help but she pushed away because she is concerned for their safety. This journey feeds on her paranoia and damaged psyche and leaves her to lose herself in Jolly Wests, psychotropic addictive drugs that become key to her rediscovering answers to her identity.



Glossolalia takes some really bizarre turns particularly in the characters of Emily and Angela. Emily is a spiritual child prodigy who has an interest in Glossolalia, the strange language created by 16th century astrologer, John Dee. She is part of a highly influential cult (whose pastor is yes an Agent of the Nevermind.) and is either the inspiration or the actual lead character in a series of Harry Potteresque movies about an adventures of a young girl.



Angela is a hardened sexy Nevermind Agent who appears whenever dirty work needs to be done. She is often involved with seducing agents, providing drugs, and being a go-between with the agents and their higher ups. She is almost a stereotypical character in these type of novels but she is more than she appears, She has an almost metaphysical knowledge of situations in which she was not an eyewitness or personally involved. She later reveals that she, Emily, and Nancy have a unique bond that changes the course of the book once it is revealed.



Glossolalia is the first book in Tantra Bensko’s Agents of the Nevermind Series. If the first book is any indication, it should be a long strange trip but a completely unforgettable one.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm going to preface the rest of this review with the fact that I don't think this was my kind of read. I do enjoy suspenseful novels, but not necessarily ones that delve into the world of occults or secret government agencies/conspiracies. If that's your thing then yes, this is your read for sure. I rated it a "3" but just because I did like the concept of the novel; it's reminiscent of the Jason Bourne saga/movies/type of story. Though it was a slow start, I did start to piece together what was happening with the main protagonist, in terms of the changing chapters and secret organization it turns out she worked for. And again, that's why I gave it a "3" because the concept of how she gave the main character sort of a multi-personality disorder controlled by songs/queues/etc was a neat concept, and a great theme for any good book or movie. And I applaud the author for this ingenuous and complicated story line, it's clear to me how hard the author worked on this novel in terms of research and story development. But....this is where my critique begins. It wasn't that the writing was poor, but I think it's that I did not like the character at all. Having read plenty of novels with heroines that lean towards the martyr side, it gets old. But not only that, but some scenarios or scenes with other characters didn't fully seem realistic with how they were talking or acting. And last reason I wasn't a big fan of this book, and therefore didn't quite finish it - there was too much going on for me. In reality, the story was simple, but with the slow development of the beginning and of the character in general, the story eventually just lost me. I reiterate again though - the story line and concept = creative and fun, writing = middle of the road, but my type of read = nuh-uh.

[Ivan Hecimovic · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first started reading Glossolalia, a novel written by Mrs. Tantra Bensko I did not think that the novel will contain any fantasy elements. And another thing that just never crossed my mind is that the novel will be a great mixture of “real world’’ and imaginary world.
We have a woman named Nancy. She seems just like any other- ‘normal’, everyday woman with everyday life and everyday problems. As I say, at first the novel looked like just another psychological thriller (not that that is a bad thing) with several characters with complicated past. But thankfully there is a lot more going on.
Nancy works for her uncle, who sells all kinds of poisons with which soil, flora, fauna and even air are polluted. But that is just the beginning. We also have a mysterious organization that sells those poisons to people and control them. How is that connected with our main protagonist? Well this is something that each reader needs to find for himself, because this review is spoiler-free.
How exactly do fantasy world, a huge bird (well flamingo) which is also a god-like figure, a pollution of the world, a mysterious woman and a secret organization, have in common? Yes, Glossolalia is a bit complicated read to read but that only adds more to the overall quality of the novel. Also, the novel is not too long or too short, which means that the author succeeded into completing her story (or all three of them) into less than 300 pages. Very impressive and also great job.

[JenniferReadsHorror · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got the chance to get a free copy of this book from the author through twitter for my honest review. (Book reads).
I have read other work by this author and this book didn’t disappoint me! From the cover to the last page it was bizarre, complex and fast.
The character Nancy is not just one character or person but several different co-ordinating people. Working for her uncle and no longer taking the meds, she is awoken. I won’t give anything else away as I feel that this story is best read through rather than too much given away. Who doesn’t love a conspiracy, killers and weird psychological thoughts.
The writing is good but not perfect and I wanted more background. I also have a lot more unanswered questions, but to be fair I used my imagination to fill this in.
But you should give this story a chance, because like ‘remember to recycle’ as I think everyone will take something different from this author.
This story is not for everyone; however, each reader will take away something different. I could also see the story going in different directions in my mind however the main story continued.

[Kerstin Vollbrecht · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nancy, who works for her uncle's enterprise that produces poisonous substances contaminating the environment, suffers from strange blackouts with complete amnesia. As she decides to stop taking the medicaments her uncle provides her with, she obtains insight in what happened during these times her blackouts took place, having split personalities integrating three different characters with different functions and attributes. The book relates the journey of Nancy fishing out that her split personalities were induced on her since childhood in order to serve as an agent to maintain the American power in the world. The story goes deep into the journey that Nancy undertakes in order tho integrate all her split personalities to become her whole self and to show the truth about the involved agents.
The plot is well developed from beginning to end and the description of the characters is very lively, showing the characteristics of each of Nancy's personalities and how they integrate to complete her. It has been a nice read.

[Harvey Thomlinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Glossolalia, the first title in Bensko’s Agents of the Nevermind series, is the unnerving, surreal and hugely entertaining story of Nancy, an amnesiac who must work for her Uncle’s pesticide factory because ‘people who suddenly came to consciousness, bewildered by where they’d been for several missing hours, weren’t generally the studs of steady employment’.
As girl detective fan Nancy and looks into the mystery of disappearing chemicals from the factory she finds herself immeshed in a conspiracy involving a sinister organization called Agents of the Never Mind to which film companies, libraries, a pentacostal church, the CIA, and her Uncle all may plausibly fit. The biggest mystery of all however is the puzzle of her own identity .
Bensko’s sustained engagement with her themes and commitment to mixing and matching realities has propelled an extraordinary novel. Highly recommended, it’s under my skin, and I can’t wait to read the next one.

[Ana Souza · Rating 3 out of 5]

Glossolalia seemed to have all the elements of a good novel. It is a psychological suspense and approaches subjects like mind control, esoteric rituals and political intrigues, however, for me it doesn’t work, it is a completely distressing reading.
Nancy is the storyteller and the main character. She was raised by her uncle Geoff since she was a teenager he seems to be her only relative. All her life is controlled by him. In the moment that the plot begins she is working for him at his company, D-CIDE.
The plot is really fast-paced but it is repetitive. Nancy, act like a drug or alcohol addicted most of time, and when she is in “Nancy character” she can’t remember what happened until that time in fact, she goes round and round and this is very distressful. Only when we’ve read more than a half of the novel, things starts to rearrange and goes toward solution.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a grab your seat and hold on type of suspense book. Never knowing where you will end up until the very end. The author does a wonderful job with providing details and giving great information about the locations and places. Really making this story feel real and possible to the reader. You really become involved with the main character Nancy right from the start as you follow her from her office to a car chase. I found that with each new chapter I just had to continue reading this one and was unable to set the book down reading it late into the night just to finish. Tantra Bensko does an amazing job of really bringing this story together and making the reader feel pulled in. I found that I really can’t wait until the next book and find out what happens next.

[Revellanotvanel · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first when I started reading Glossalolia I thought it was 'way out there,' which indeed it was, but I'm really very satisfied I stuck with it and didn't write it off as complete hogwash in the very first chapter. I kept an open mind and while it felt like in the beginning chapters I was being thrown conspiracy theory after conspiracy theory from every angle --by the end of the book it really did come together! I've never read anything quite this trippy but looking forward to reading her other book 'Recycles'. This book definitely sheds a very necessary light of mass surveillance/and propaganda in a very relevant age.

Others have done a much better job in describing the wealth of info in this title, so on that note if rate it definitely worth the read but just be prepared.

[Bonnie Dale Keck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kindle Unlimited and as for genre no idea as it seems to mix so many in to the story line. Interesting read and still trying to really wrap my head around it all, well written and all that just not sure how to do any type of review without spoilers on this one mainly, plus everyone else already including the writer and the comment at the top seems to have more than covered it all. Maybe will find time to come back with the ku to read this again at some point because there was just so much going on, including what may or may not have just been going on in the main character's head.

[Shreya Agarwal · Rating 5 out of 5]

i am not usually the kind of person who reads a pyschological thriller but somehow got hooked into reading this at the first glance of its description. It is one hell of a roller coaster ride. A girl who is partly amnesiac and a klutz finds the courage within herself to dig out the truth about her uncle's wrongdoings and reveal it to the earth. She even goes to lengths of following the mysterious truck that could have gotten her killed. If you are into reading thrillers or would like to give a try to one, this book is for you. Big thumbs up to Tantra Bensko for such an interesting experience.

[Francie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book by Tara Bensko. I could not put it down and it scared the crap out of me because this could really happen or maybe it does? I rooted for the main character, Nancy, all the way!
Mind control, codes, secret rooms , murder this story has it all. I have to read all the books in the series.

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

was given to me in exchange for a honest review.
I thought the concept was very interesting, yet I could not really get into it. Personally, I feel like the execution was poorly. Feel like the author could have added more words that showed what was happening rather than just telling it. That's just my opinion.

[Annotaré · Rating 2 out of 5]

With rewrite and editing could be a good read.

[Roxaz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Glossolalia is one of the most unique books I've read in a while, from the plot, the characters and obviously its amazing cover art.
Our story centers around the main protagonist called Nancy. She's a young woman who has a habit of snapping out of amnesiac fugues not knowing where she went or what she did, she also works for her uncle Geoff making and selling poisons that killed animals, one of them being poison XXX, a poison that's invisible, has no taste and because its impossible to track is being used by a dangerous organization named Nevermind. The main plot points being how Nancy, Uncle Geoff and two other seemingly unrelated women called Angela and Emily are involved with Nevermind, and figuring out what happens whenever Nancy has one of her amnesiac fugues.

The plot of the book never gets boring although very confusing if you don't pay attention, there is always some event moving the plot forward while making the characters develop and grow more and more complicated as the book goes on. The characters are definitely the best part of the book seeing how each character relates to each other and how their behavior changes depending on what their goal or state of mind is, I loved each and every character with the exception of the main character Nancy. Don't get me wrong when I finished the book I couldn't help but love her, but for almost the entire first half of the book I found her to be unlikeable and almost annoying which made me focus more on the plot rather than the dialogue. This brings up the other aspect i didn't like about this book, I felt like there was a lack of information. There were a lot of things that were left to the imagination and questions about the background of things like Nevermind and the poisson XXX were left unanswered which I hope are answered in the following books.
Overall I liked the book and would recommend it to anyone who wants to read something powerful and different.
Thanks to Booktasters and the author for the e-copy of this book.

[Darci Meadville · Rating 1 out of 5]

I won't go much into the plot of this story, because it IS technically a suspense, meaning I do not want to spoil anything for any future reader. But, at the same time, I would like to lay out the things that make this story problematic for me. They come in two basic pieces: writing style and character.

1. Writing Style - At first, I thought that the writing was reaching for a bare style. Only using the minimum words to help hide information from the reader. The problem came with visual descriptions. You get almost a gossip-rag discussion level of "hot or not" listing of physical characteristics, often overusing adjectives and adverbs. If the whole story were hyper descriptive, maybe this wouldn't be an issue, but when it comes to plot movement, it is much more spare, so these two styles clash in a way that rubbed me the wrong way.

Dialogue was also frustrating for me, particularly slang. There's a section early on where a character meets up with a football player, and their interaction is awkward. It is a combination, I think, of maybe out-of-date slang and weakened language attempting to appear hard. (This is a tricky thing to do, I understand. Slang shifts quickly, and there's absolutely no saying if "bae" will stay like "cool" has, and maybe you don't want to use anything dirtier than "wuss" as an insult, though there are - in my mind - dirtier portions. Still, this was something that reoccurred in the book that bothered me.)

2. Character - this is primarily Nancy. She is entirely unlikeable. Hot. Damaged. Whiney. Preachy. Though the preachy is a large part of the plot and tone, as well. She feels like less of a character and more of just a series of actions connected to a name that helps move the plot forward. Even later on in the book when her character becomes more solid, she doesn't really get any more likeable. And I mean likeable in terms of enjoyable. Evil characters can be likeable, compelling. Look at Draco Malfoy. He's a little jerk, but he is intriguing. The Young Man in "A Tell-Tale Heart"; he's crazy, probably straight evil, but you WANT to know more about him. Nancy exhausts me.

In conclusion - I'll give it this, it takes risks with making its point. Personally, I found the point a bit too preachy. It lacked subtlety, perhaps, or maybe I could have forgiven the pushiness of the plot if Nancy had been a bit less annoying. In the end, I suppose, this really just wasn't for me. I'm perfectly happy to read books that criticise governments, religion, and humanity (Atwood, Huxley, Vonnegut, Orwell, Moore, whatever), this one just didn't stick.

However, looking at the general rating, I'm obviously the odd person out. So take this review into consideration, but maybe don't completely count the book out. My concerns might not be your concerns.

[* Maru * (FellInLoveWithABook) · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Glossolalia we follow the story of Nancy, a young beautiful woman who has a quirky characteristic: she suffers from amnesiac fugues that leave her mind empty of memories but a room full of evidence of what happened. Soon, new characters enter the scene, intertwining in what seems to be a series of random and unrelated events.

It all starts with Nancy risking her life to decipher what seems to be the illegal disposal of a dangerous poison and deciding to report it to the authorities. The problem is, the person she has to turn in is her own uncle, who she depends upon for a lifetime supply of medication. But Nancy has a feeling deep inside her, telling her that things are not what they seem and that she needs to go through with it for her own sake.

The action in this book starts in the first sentence and does not stop until the last one. Things are happening all the time at a pace you can hardly keep up with. But I have to say: I knew things were happening continuously, I just didn’t know WHAT was happening for the first eighteen chapters – out of a total of twenty-five.

Facts are thrown at you non-stop, you meet people, you hear what they are thinking, how they are feeling and you just keep asking yourself “what is going on?”. But from the very first moment, I was able to connect with the main character, feeling her desperation as if it were my own.

The plot simply has everything: suspense, twists, fantasy, politics, brain-washing and even a bit of romance. It is a rich mixture of genres, difficult to typecast, and it honors each one of them. Hand in hand with our protagonist, we discover bit by bit the odd things that are part of her life, and we feel her struggle with herself, we suffer the frustration she suffers.

Nothing in Glossolalia seems to make sense for a very good part of the book, but then…it happens. You start finding meaning in the little details, putting two and two together, seeing the connections between it all. And before you know it, you have it right in front of you: an intricate story where nothing is left to chance, filled with complex characters and with the most disturbing explanation. A plot where everyone plays their part and no one seems to be on Nancy’s side.

At first, I felt that the ending had fallen short. We find out the reason behind Nancy’s uncomfortable existence and it all seems to fall into place. But I wasn’t satisfied with the end, I needed more. That’s when I confirmed my suspicion that this is the first book of a series and that, luckily, there is more to come.

[Lindsey · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm a little bummed the Kindle edition didn't show the awesome cover art! It's really cool. Glossolalia is set in a world close to our own, but with a few extra conspiracies.

Pros: Sex! Murder! Conspiracies! This novel has it all, and it comes at the reader non-stop. There's no chance to catch your breath and it's hard to put down. So there's that. Social engineering is an interesting topic, especially in today's crazed socio-political climate. The protagonist is a kickass lady who doesn't take shit from anyone.

Cons: There's almost no background information. In a world so close to our own, with a few of our most well-known conspiracies, there is almost no information as to how this world came to be. Who is The Nevermind? How did they come to power? I want to like the main character too, but there's so little character development. Nancy just is. She takes mystery pills and kicks ass in karate. Her friend is basically a David Icke textbook. But there's little back story that explains why. Nancy hardly seems like a real person, just a series of boxes checked to move the plot forward. There are some things that seem wedged in for the sake of hitting all the plot peaks.

The three main characters are related, but it was sort of difficult to understand how they came to be and the lines drawn between them could be more defined to make it clearer for the reader. It would help with the character development. I think Bensko has a lot of good ideas and needs a strong editor to help them further develop.

FFO: Dan Brown, David Icke, Alex Jones, etc.
Also, something that really bothered me- Nancy can't seem to open a bottle of wine, and she smashes them open, "letting the glass shards pour down her throat." That could make someone incredibly sick, especially if they do it nightly.

Thanks to Booktasters and the author for the e-copy in exchange for this review.

[Paola Rosario · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first thing that caught my attention from this book was its weird cover. Its intricate design and appearance were very hard to miss. Some say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover but with me, it is what I see first; so you buy me with image and then with plot. So in this aspect, this book gets all the points.

Now, let’s talk about the plot. Glossolalia is a very unique story that highlights lots of modern dilemmas. At the same time, it is about Nancy, a young woman with amnesiac fugues that often leave with no clue of what just happened. I won’t elaborate much because since it’s a thriller, it’d ruin it for the rest, but I do have to say it’s a very fast paced story that keeps you entertained through all of it.

I really liked the story but as always, not everything is perfect. There were some issues regarding descriptions and background information. They were lacking. There were so many unanswered questions and very important details that were left out, making it look like it was all pushed in there to fit together. Anyways, I think you should give it a chance.
Thanks Booktasters and the author for the e-copy of this book.

[LINETTE DEE · Rating 4 out of 5]

Glossolalia takes you on a wild trippy ride from start to finish. Each wacky character leaves you wondering if they are just plain crazy or if maybe you aren't seeing the complete picture. The author, Tantra Bensko does a marvelous job of making each characters point of view believable and vivid. The context of the book is thought provoking. Glossolalia elevated my paranoia level to a stage 10! The main character Nancy will have you laughing one moment and biting your nails the next as she stumbles through her wacky life. The author Tantra Bensko's impeccable details and descriptions paints a brilliant picture as you follow Nancy on her adventures. The twists in the book leave you on the edge of your seat. Glossolalia is a fantastic page-turning, kindle-swiping read. By the end of the book you will want to immediately immerse yourself in to the next chapter in this fabulous series.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books I've read in a long time. Being an ardent reader of psychology, the title and description of the book caught my eye and set my expectations to a high level and I was not one bit disappointed. It in fact, exceeded anything I had expected.

The book is fast paced, and has a lot of suspense. It revolves around the idea of the protagonist having subconscious influences in her actions and various aspects of her life. I personally enjoyed analyzing the protagonist the most. She has a very interesting personality and has a lot of layers to her. As the story progresses, different layers of her personality are peeled back.

I would recommend this book to absolutely anyone that enjoys a good thrill, especially if you're interested in psychology. Hats off for the creativity.