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Rafael Ward #1
The Spider in the Laurel
In Tomorrow's America, Belief is the New Enemy.
Even a Silent Prayer can get you Black-Bagged.
Historian Rafael Ward is a good citizen, teaching students the government approved narrative of the nation's history. Until the black-baggers come calling. They have a job for him, one he's not allowed to refuse. Forced to hunt down and destroy the artifacts he cherishes, Ward goes undercover as a Believer and smuggler. Before he knows it, he's following fugitive Hannah MacKenzie on a fool's quest to recover the legendary Vase of Soissons, a Dark Age relic prophesized to restore faith to the world.
Soon, however, Ward is betrayed by the Republic he's trying to serve. His only chance to save himself is to come clean with MacKenzie and, together, find the Vase first. Pursued through the cathedrals and catacombs of Europe, Ward and MacKenzie must battle their mistrust of each other to stay alive. Only when they are within reach of their goal do they discover the Vase is not what they thought. With more than just their lives on the line, Ward and MacKenzie must choose between each other and the Vase, between belief and salvation.
Even a Silent Prayer can get you Black-Bagged.
Historian Rafael Ward is a good citizen, teaching students the government approved narrative of the nation's history. Until the black-baggers come calling. They have a job for him, one he's not allowed to refuse. Forced to hunt down and destroy the artifacts he cherishes, Ward goes undercover as a Believer and smuggler. Before he knows it, he's following fugitive Hannah MacKenzie on a fool's quest to recover the legendary Vase of Soissons, a Dark Age relic prophesized to restore faith to the world.
Soon, however, Ward is betrayed by the Republic he's trying to serve. His only chance to save himself is to come clean with MacKenzie and, together, find the Vase first. Pursued through the cathedrals and catacombs of Europe, Ward and MacKenzie must battle their mistrust of each other to stay alive. Only when they are within reach of their goal do they discover the Vase is not what they thought. With more than just their lives on the line, Ward and MacKenzie must choose between each other and the Vase, between belief and salvation.
327 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 21, 2015
9 people are currently reading
473 people want to read
About the author
Michael Pogach
11 books39 followersMichael Pogach is an author and college professor. He is the author of the upcoming historical fantasy VALHALLA BURNING (July 2026, from Diversion Books). His previous novels include the Gothic thriller SLIP, which has been hailed as “a riveting thriller with a provocative central mystery” (Holly M. Wendt, author of “The Bolton Strid”) and “a thriller-mystery with a hint of the paranormal and a protagonist that will take a bite out of you from page one” (Gwendolyn N. Nix, author of I Have Asked To Be Where No Storms Come), as well as the dystopian thriller Rafael Ward series: THE SPIDER IN THE LAUREL (a 2018 Kindle Book Award finalist), THE LONG OBLIVION (a 2019 Kindle Book Award semi-finalist), THE TYRANT GODS, and THE HIDDEN EMPIRE. He's been called “one of speculative fiction’s rising stars,” by C.T. Phipps, author of The Rules of Supervillany.
When not working on his next book, Michael teaches literature and creative writing in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley where he lives with his wife, two kids, and a black cat named Wednesday.
www.michaelpogach.com
When not working on his next book, Michael teaches literature and creative writing in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley where he lives with his wife, two kids, and a black cat named Wednesday.
www.michaelpogach.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
September 25, 2015
Review copy
Michael Pogach is an English professor and author. He began writing stories in grade school. He doesn't remember these early masterpieces, but his parents tell him everyone in them died. He's gained some humanity since then, even allowing characters to survive once in a while. He is a graduate of Penn State and Arcadia University. His stories have appeared in numerous journals and the chapbook Zero to Sixty. The Spider in the Laurel is his first novel.
The Spider in the Laurel is quite impressive for a debut novel. Rafael Ward teaches at a University and he also happens to be an agent for the Relic Enforcement Command, commonly referred to as the REC.
...to protect and defend the Citizens of the Republic against domestic threats both civil and fanatical, to uphold and enforce the criminal laws of the United Republic, and to guarantee the purity of our nation against all artifacts of zealotry.
Relic Enforcement Command Mission Statement, 2016.
"Agents of the REC, even conscripts like Ward, were sworn for life...All Ward wanted was to be a professor again."
I generally don't care much for alternate history stories, but although that is a part of this one, it is so much more. Alternate history, dystopian future, and a protagonist that reads like Robert Langdon in a Dan Brown novel. I was instantly caught up in the intrigue.
Sent on a mission to obtain "the Spear of Destiny". The lance with which a Roman soldier supposedly stabbed Jesus at the crucifixion. A weapon that conquerors had sought and killed for over the many centuries before the Republic's Edict Seven legislated that there was no power residing in the sky."
When things don't go exactly as planned, Ward is thrown into a much greater mystery where he no longer knows truth from fiction, right from wrong, or even up from down.
I found the fairy-tale which provided the book's title to be an absolute delight and I really came to like Rafael "Rafe" Ward. He is a terrific, flawed character, thrown into situations of great peril and manages to, time and again, narrowly escape death and continue on a quest that could possibly save the world.
There were some weaknesses, like how, not once, but twice, characters were able to "guess' four-digit passwords in a matter of minutes. (1 in 10,000, not likely). And there were a couple of plot twists which were entirely too convenient. These elements aside, I found The Spider In the Laurel to be a fast-paced, thrilling adventure, that was totally unexpected and ultimately enjoyable.
The Spider In the Laurel is published by Ragnarok publications and is available now as an e-book with a paperback version coming soon.
A fun read I can easily recommend.
Michael Pogach is an English professor and author. He began writing stories in grade school. He doesn't remember these early masterpieces, but his parents tell him everyone in them died. He's gained some humanity since then, even allowing characters to survive once in a while. He is a graduate of Penn State and Arcadia University. His stories have appeared in numerous journals and the chapbook Zero to Sixty. The Spider in the Laurel is his first novel.
The Spider in the Laurel is quite impressive for a debut novel. Rafael Ward teaches at a University and he also happens to be an agent for the Relic Enforcement Command, commonly referred to as the REC.
...to protect and defend the Citizens of the Republic against domestic threats both civil and fanatical, to uphold and enforce the criminal laws of the United Republic, and to guarantee the purity of our nation against all artifacts of zealotry.
Relic Enforcement Command Mission Statement, 2016.
"Agents of the REC, even conscripts like Ward, were sworn for life...All Ward wanted was to be a professor again."
I generally don't care much for alternate history stories, but although that is a part of this one, it is so much more. Alternate history, dystopian future, and a protagonist that reads like Robert Langdon in a Dan Brown novel. I was instantly caught up in the intrigue.
Sent on a mission to obtain "the Spear of Destiny". The lance with which a Roman soldier supposedly stabbed Jesus at the crucifixion. A weapon that conquerors had sought and killed for over the many centuries before the Republic's Edict Seven legislated that there was no power residing in the sky."
When things don't go exactly as planned, Ward is thrown into a much greater mystery where he no longer knows truth from fiction, right from wrong, or even up from down.
I found the fairy-tale which provided the book's title to be an absolute delight and I really came to like Rafael "Rafe" Ward. He is a terrific, flawed character, thrown into situations of great peril and manages to, time and again, narrowly escape death and continue on a quest that could possibly save the world.
There were some weaknesses, like how, not once, but twice, characters were able to "guess' four-digit passwords in a matter of minutes. (1 in 10,000, not likely). And there were a couple of plot twists which were entirely too convenient. These elements aside, I found The Spider In the Laurel to be a fast-paced, thrilling adventure, that was totally unexpected and ultimately enjoyable.
The Spider In the Laurel is published by Ragnarok publications and is available now as an e-book with a paperback version coming soon.
A fun read I can easily recommend.
October 28, 2015
I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
“The Spider in the Laurel questions the methods of both governmental authority and those attempting to subvert the status quo. It presents an alternate take on the concept of creation from Genesis and other narratives based on ancient and Dark Age mythologies. It straddles the line between simple adventure and the type of novel that can force a reader to question their beliefs.”
This is what the book blurb promises. Having been on the receiving end of a number of broken book blurb promises, I was wary. To be promised action, adventure and ancient mythology in a debut novel seemed overly ambitious. And to hope that it was done well seemed overly optimistic. Also I was expecting more spiders, but honestly I can’t say I’m too disappointed that there were hardly any, and I love spiders.
The story begins with Rafael Ward, a teacher at a University who also happens to be an agent for the Relic Enforcement Command, commonly referred to as the REC. Having being ‘volunteered’ into the REC it is his job to obtain and help destroy historical religious relics. This is not something he wants to do of course, he cherishes history like Robert Langdon but younger and better looking (in my head anyway). When his very first mission is compromised he is ordered by the Commandant of the REC to connect with Hannah Mackenzie and find out what her plan of moving the Spear of Destiny entails. But, of course nothing is ever as straightforward as that.
The book is set in a dystopian world where religion is a crime and punishable by death. Now normally I don’t read too many religion based books even though I am Catholic. Because lets be honest, no one wants to read about good people and their perfect lives. I can safely say that this book doesn’t fall into that category in the first place and in fact goes beyond it to take a very open view towards religion. I suppose this resonated with me because I don’t believe in the divisions religion provides. The mythological aspects are in fact present but could have been explained more clearly. I loved the world building which in my opinion was extremely well done. Also the fact that REC helped further the idea that Europe was in the midst of religious strife when that was clearly not the case was interesting because I've seen things like that happen even now.
I liked the main characters for the most part, though in some instances they were childish and boy can Mackenzie run or what. I mean I got tired just reading about all the energy she had. There were some plot movers that seemed way too convenient, which is not to say the character’s lives were made easy by this but I do think it could have been tweaked a little.
While the ending was satisfying, I have a couple of unanswered questions, which I can live with provided there will be another book coming out, because I need it!
This is a 3.5 star read for me which I’m rounding up to 4 stars because as a debut novel I thought it was a fantastic effort.
“The Spider in the Laurel questions the methods of both governmental authority and those attempting to subvert the status quo. It presents an alternate take on the concept of creation from Genesis and other narratives based on ancient and Dark Age mythologies. It straddles the line between simple adventure and the type of novel that can force a reader to question their beliefs.”
This is what the book blurb promises. Having been on the receiving end of a number of broken book blurb promises, I was wary. To be promised action, adventure and ancient mythology in a debut novel seemed overly ambitious. And to hope that it was done well seemed overly optimistic. Also I was expecting more spiders, but honestly I can’t say I’m too disappointed that there were hardly any, and I love spiders.
The story begins with Rafael Ward, a teacher at a University who also happens to be an agent for the Relic Enforcement Command, commonly referred to as the REC. Having being ‘volunteered’ into the REC it is his job to obtain and help destroy historical religious relics. This is not something he wants to do of course, he cherishes history like Robert Langdon but younger and better looking (in my head anyway). When his very first mission is compromised he is ordered by the Commandant of the REC to connect with Hannah Mackenzie and find out what her plan of moving the Spear of Destiny entails. But, of course nothing is ever as straightforward as that.
The book is set in a dystopian world where religion is a crime and punishable by death. Now normally I don’t read too many religion based books even though I am Catholic. Because lets be honest, no one wants to read about good people and their perfect lives. I can safely say that this book doesn’t fall into that category in the first place and in fact goes beyond it to take a very open view towards religion. I suppose this resonated with me because I don’t believe in the divisions religion provides. The mythological aspects are in fact present but could have been explained more clearly. I loved the world building which in my opinion was extremely well done. Also the fact that REC helped further the idea that Europe was in the midst of religious strife when that was clearly not the case was interesting because I've seen things like that happen even now.
I liked the main characters for the most part, though in some instances they were childish and boy can Mackenzie run or what. I mean I got tired just reading about all the energy she had. There were some plot movers that seemed way too convenient, which is not to say the character’s lives were made easy by this but I do think it could have been tweaked a little.
While the ending was satisfying, I have a couple of unanswered questions, which I can live with provided there will be another book coming out, because I need it!
This is a 3.5 star read for me which I’m rounding up to 4 stars because as a debut novel I thought it was a fantastic effort.
July 13, 2017
This is a dystopian near-future novel in a similar vein of 1984, V For Vendetta, or Equilibrium. It reminds me the most of Equilibrium (though there is no Gun-Fu). After religious extremists caused a several horrible tragedies, the new government has outlawed religion, and other emotional things. We are now in a strictly enforced world that is ruled by logic, reason, and fear.
Our hero, Rafael, is drafted into service by the government to help then root out a network of Believers who are smuggling religious artifacts. Rafael is not a classic hero. He's just a history professor and he isn't too keen on being forced into a dangerous situation.
The story moves along quickly after that, becoming an International chase full of riddles, history, and daring escapes. It was fun.
It's compared to Indiana Jones. I see it more of Orwell meets Dan Brown.
Some reviewers have found the idea of the American society turning its back on religion as unbelievable. I don't. It's Speculative Fiction, no more than any of the dystopian stories I already named - no more than The Man In High Castle shows an alternate present based off a common history. The 'how' we got to this isn't important. Pogach gives a little information on how this society came to be, but nothing more than necessary to understand that this is where we are now.
However, I believe that a logical and efficient society would have at least gone with the Metric System.
Our hero, Rafael, is drafted into service by the government to help then root out a network of Believers who are smuggling religious artifacts. Rafael is not a classic hero. He's just a history professor and he isn't too keen on being forced into a dangerous situation.
The story moves along quickly after that, becoming an International chase full of riddles, history, and daring escapes. It was fun.
It's compared to Indiana Jones. I see it more of Orwell meets Dan Brown.
Some reviewers have found the idea of the American society turning its back on religion as unbelievable. I don't. It's Speculative Fiction, no more than any of the dystopian stories I already named - no more than The Man In High Castle shows an alternate present based off a common history. The 'how' we got to this isn't important. Pogach gives a little information on how this society came to be, but nothing more than necessary to understand that this is where we are now.
However, I believe that a logical and efficient society would have at least gone with the Metric System.
September 21, 2015
The Spider in the Laurel is the debut novel from Micael Pogach, a dystopian action-adventure novel that examines what it might be like to have faith in a militant atheistic society. This is a stand-alone novel, but with the work Pogach has put into world building, I would be surprised if he doesnt write more books in this universe he has established.
The world of The Spider in the Laurel is a near future dystopia where the outcome of religious wars was establishment of a Big Brother like police state where any and every faith has been outlawed. The story follows Professor Rafael Ward, a historian who is secretly appropriated by the REC, an NSA-equivalent agency, to track down religious artifacts for destruction. When things go south during a routine black market purchase, Rafael is tasked with getting close to a Believer named Mackenzie, a mission that will take him around the world and challenge his assumptions about how faith and the world work.
Rafael Ward is an interesting character, one who has accepted the way the world works, but seems desperate for someone to show him that there is more to life than living in constant fear of the thought police. He is far from being a natural leader, he follows the rules without question, but if someone else challenges the rule of law, he will follow them as if he has always thought those laws should be challenged. This is distinctly contrasted by MacKenzie , a brazen leader who acts first and doesnt bother to ask questions later. She is so driven by her faith that nothing will stop her from reaching her goal. Together, Ward and MacKenzie make the odd couple routine work as they both challenge each other to grow beyond what society has forced them to become.
There are a lot of faith-centric dystopian novels out there, so it is intetesting to see what a atheistic-centric dystopia might look like. Couple these thought provoking moments with some well crafted action, in-depth world building, and interesting characters, and the end result is an excellent debut novel from an exciting new author. I look forward to seeing what Pogach does next.
The world of The Spider in the Laurel is a near future dystopia where the outcome of religious wars was establishment of a Big Brother like police state where any and every faith has been outlawed. The story follows Professor Rafael Ward, a historian who is secretly appropriated by the REC, an NSA-equivalent agency, to track down religious artifacts for destruction. When things go south during a routine black market purchase, Rafael is tasked with getting close to a Believer named Mackenzie, a mission that will take him around the world and challenge his assumptions about how faith and the world work.
Rafael Ward is an interesting character, one who has accepted the way the world works, but seems desperate for someone to show him that there is more to life than living in constant fear of the thought police. He is far from being a natural leader, he follows the rules without question, but if someone else challenges the rule of law, he will follow them as if he has always thought those laws should be challenged. This is distinctly contrasted by MacKenzie , a brazen leader who acts first and doesnt bother to ask questions later. She is so driven by her faith that nothing will stop her from reaching her goal. Together, Ward and MacKenzie make the odd couple routine work as they both challenge each other to grow beyond what society has forced them to become.
There are a lot of faith-centric dystopian novels out there, so it is intetesting to see what a atheistic-centric dystopia might look like. Couple these thought provoking moments with some well crafted action, in-depth world building, and interesting characters, and the end result is an excellent debut novel from an exciting new author. I look forward to seeing what Pogach does next.
August 15, 2020
The Spider in the Laurel has some pretty hefty hurdles to overcome in its premise: it is a religiously-themed series about a militant anti-religious government having taken over the United States and yet has its hero be an atheist. The idea of such a government coming to pass in the not-so-distant-future is, itself, only slightly more plausible than North Korea taking over the USA in the Red Dawn remake.
The United States is one of the most religious nations on Earth and certainly the most among Westernized ones. Such premises tend to be purely the province of alarmist fundamentalist fiction such as the Left Behind series. Yet, that's not what this book is about. As mentioned, The Spider and the Laurel has an atheist protagonist. This isn't just so he can have a "Paul on the Road to Damascus" moment so he can convert to Christianity. This isn't a Chick Track. No, instead, it is about an examination of faith and symbolism from an outsider's perspective.
I don't know Michael Pogach's religious beliefs but the books reminds me of the often-deep analysis of faith done by George R.R. Martin and John Michael Straczynski despite their own lack of belief. The Spider and the Laurel is more half-DaVinchi Code, half-Equilibrium than anything by those two but it had some surprisingly deep ideas. Another work it reminded me of was Dragon Age: Inquisition and its dealing with how messiah myths comes to pass.
The premise is Rafael Ward, Medieval history teacher, has been conscripted by the totalitarian government of the United States to help them authentic relics for destruction. Because this is a book rather than reality, Rafael is required to work in the field as a spy rather than having the relics brought to him. I never questioned this during my read of the book, though, because the author successfully captures the nervousness as well as paranoia Rafael feels when he's dispatched into missions by his superiors.
One of the more interesting practices separating Catholicism from Protestant Christianity is the veneration of relics or items, particularly body parts, which relate to saints. We're all familiar with the Holy Grail and Spear of Destiny but there was an entire cottage industry related to bones as well as other items during the Middle Ages. Michael is both very good at his job and hates himself for it since, even if he doesn't believe in God, he finds the destruction of history despicable. After recovering what is most certainly not the Spear of Destiny but a convincing fake, he is sent on a mission to recover a much-more dangerous item. This, of course, puts him in contact with a beautiful Believer as well as a conspiracy which makes him question his commitment to the government even more than he already is.
There's a lot to swallow in the book's premise but once I got past the initial premise, I really started to like it. As mentioned, there's a lot of really good questions about the role of faith as well as inspirational effects (good and bad) relating to how society's function. There's also a good examination of how oppressive governments must either suppress religion or co-opt it in order to guarantee their power. I actually was quite invested in the story by the end and rather disappointed it took a turn for the supernatural, even if that ended up confusing the issue of in-setting religious truth rather than confirming it either way.
In conclusion, I recommend this book. I liked the characters, I thought the action was well-done despite the hero not being a action-y type, and the questions it raised were deep ones. I think I might have believed the premise a bit more had it been set in another country or with a longer alternate history, though.
The United States is one of the most religious nations on Earth and certainly the most among Westernized ones. Such premises tend to be purely the province of alarmist fundamentalist fiction such as the Left Behind series. Yet, that's not what this book is about. As mentioned, The Spider and the Laurel has an atheist protagonist. This isn't just so he can have a "Paul on the Road to Damascus" moment so he can convert to Christianity. This isn't a Chick Track. No, instead, it is about an examination of faith and symbolism from an outsider's perspective.
I don't know Michael Pogach's religious beliefs but the books reminds me of the often-deep analysis of faith done by George R.R. Martin and John Michael Straczynski despite their own lack of belief. The Spider and the Laurel is more half-DaVinchi Code, half-Equilibrium than anything by those two but it had some surprisingly deep ideas. Another work it reminded me of was Dragon Age: Inquisition and its dealing with how messiah myths comes to pass.
The premise is Rafael Ward, Medieval history teacher, has been conscripted by the totalitarian government of the United States to help them authentic relics for destruction. Because this is a book rather than reality, Rafael is required to work in the field as a spy rather than having the relics brought to him. I never questioned this during my read of the book, though, because the author successfully captures the nervousness as well as paranoia Rafael feels when he's dispatched into missions by his superiors.
One of the more interesting practices separating Catholicism from Protestant Christianity is the veneration of relics or items, particularly body parts, which relate to saints. We're all familiar with the Holy Grail and Spear of Destiny but there was an entire cottage industry related to bones as well as other items during the Middle Ages. Michael is both very good at his job and hates himself for it since, even if he doesn't believe in God, he finds the destruction of history despicable. After recovering what is most certainly not the Spear of Destiny but a convincing fake, he is sent on a mission to recover a much-more dangerous item. This, of course, puts him in contact with a beautiful Believer as well as a conspiracy which makes him question his commitment to the government even more than he already is.
There's a lot to swallow in the book's premise but once I got past the initial premise, I really started to like it. As mentioned, there's a lot of really good questions about the role of faith as well as inspirational effects (good and bad) relating to how society's function. There's also a good examination of how oppressive governments must either suppress religion or co-opt it in order to guarantee their power. I actually was quite invested in the story by the end and rather disappointed it took a turn for the supernatural, even if that ended up confusing the issue of in-setting religious truth rather than confirming it either way.
In conclusion, I recommend this book. I liked the characters, I thought the action was well-done despite the hero not being a action-y type, and the questions it raised were deep ones. I think I might have believed the premise a bit more had it been set in another country or with a longer alternate history, though.
August 17, 2019
( Format : Audiobook )
"Answers await you in the depths."
Rafael Ward is a professor of history and literature and, secretly, an agent for Relic Enforcement Command (REC), this latter being a position for life and one into which he had been co-opted, not voluntarily. Sent in an alternative present, in the Citizen's Republic of America - an amalgam of the U.S.A., Canada, Greenland and parts of Mexico, formed after destructive riots blamed on religion - the belief in God had been outlawed, the teachings and stories relegated to myth and legend, and any relics pertaining to it, from paintings to books to bits of saint's bodies, sought out and destroyed, a fate also awaiting any Believers caught.
Reluctantly entrusted with the retrieval of a religious artifact, Rafael gets caught up in the dangerous business of keeping one of the group leaders, a woman he comes to know as Mackenzie, under observation and travels with her first to France then Italy, where he finds beauty and excitement and the truth that his own government media constantly lies to the citizens. And, all the while, the couple search for ...?
This is a book of many moods. When first it began, although very different, it was reminiscent of Brave New World but later morphed more into Indiana Jones meets the daVinci code. Action is so fast and furious there is little time to draw breath as coincidence after coincidence hurdles out protagonists forward in their quest, through bookshops and churches, tunnels and sewers.to a final dramatic and rather unexpected conclusion. There will be more to come. The narration is very good, fast paced like the story, Terry F. Self reading with expression and enthousiasm, energy infusing every sentence; and each protagonist is given their own appropriate voicing. A remarkable performance with only occasional and slight technical hiccups.
I was fortunate in receiving The Spider in the Laurel as a freely gifted complimentary y following my request to the rights holder via Audiobook Boom. Thank you so much. As a debut novel, it was good, well written and informative as well as exciting, though perhaps just a little bit too contrived. But for anyone who has enjoyed the thrillers of Dan Brown coupled with the archaeological survival prowess of Indiana Jones, with extra sinister figures thrown into the visual writiing, this is the book to read.
"Answers await you in the depths."
Rafael Ward is a professor of history and literature and, secretly, an agent for Relic Enforcement Command (REC), this latter being a position for life and one into which he had been co-opted, not voluntarily. Sent in an alternative present, in the Citizen's Republic of America - an amalgam of the U.S.A., Canada, Greenland and parts of Mexico, formed after destructive riots blamed on religion - the belief in God had been outlawed, the teachings and stories relegated to myth and legend, and any relics pertaining to it, from paintings to books to bits of saint's bodies, sought out and destroyed, a fate also awaiting any Believers caught.
Reluctantly entrusted with the retrieval of a religious artifact, Rafael gets caught up in the dangerous business of keeping one of the group leaders, a woman he comes to know as Mackenzie, under observation and travels with her first to France then Italy, where he finds beauty and excitement and the truth that his own government media constantly lies to the citizens. And, all the while, the couple search for ...?
This is a book of many moods. When first it began, although very different, it was reminiscent of Brave New World but later morphed more into Indiana Jones meets the daVinci code. Action is so fast and furious there is little time to draw breath as coincidence after coincidence hurdles out protagonists forward in their quest, through bookshops and churches, tunnels and sewers.to a final dramatic and rather unexpected conclusion. There will be more to come. The narration is very good, fast paced like the story, Terry F. Self reading with expression and enthousiasm, energy infusing every sentence; and each protagonist is given their own appropriate voicing. A remarkable performance with only occasional and slight technical hiccups.
I was fortunate in receiving The Spider in the Laurel as a freely gifted complimentary y following my request to the rights holder via Audiobook Boom. Thank you so much. As a debut novel, it was good, well written and informative as well as exciting, though perhaps just a little bit too contrived. But for anyone who has enjoyed the thrillers of Dan Brown coupled with the archaeological survival prowess of Indiana Jones, with extra sinister figures thrown into the visual writiing, this is the book to read.
September 14, 2018
I liked this book a lot better than I expected. I'd never heard of Michael, even though he runs in the same circle as many of my favorite authors. A friend suggested this book and when I saw the cover art was by STK Kreations, picking it up was a no-brainer.
The writing is vivid and intense. This is one of those books where you forget to eat and sleep because you're so engrossed. I enjoyed all of the characters, even the unlikable ones. Even though dystopian, the world is easy to understand and it didn't take a lot of set up. You're quickly able to get into the actual story without being bogged down by a lot of dry description.
I'm glad that I thought ahead and have the next book in the series ready to read. Pogach better be busy because I'm quite sure I'll be ready for the third in the series as soon as I finish the next one.
The writing is vivid and intense. This is one of those books where you forget to eat and sleep because you're so engrossed. I enjoyed all of the characters, even the unlikable ones. Even though dystopian, the world is easy to understand and it didn't take a lot of set up. You're quickly able to get into the actual story without being bogged down by a lot of dry description.
I'm glad that I thought ahead and have the next book in the series ready to read. Pogach better be busy because I'm quite sure I'll be ready for the third in the series as soon as I finish the next one.
August 26, 2020
As a debut novel this author set himself apart from others in the same alternate history with a dystopian future.
Yes there are many who write in this genre. The story has a mix of religious artifices that could change the course of history. As the male lead is thrown into a world he where fact and fiction are almost one he battles time to find the truth.
The author plot twist where very common and the word play the author uses over the course of time readers might hopes for the author to use a thesaurus to find a better word. The Spider in the Laurel is a great start to a series that fans of Dan Brown will love to get their hands on.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Crossroad Press for the advance copy of Michael Pgoach The Spire in the :Laurel
Yes there are many who write in this genre. The story has a mix of religious artifices that could change the course of history. As the male lead is thrown into a world he where fact and fiction are almost one he battles time to find the truth.
The author plot twist where very common and the word play the author uses over the course of time readers might hopes for the author to use a thesaurus to find a better word. The Spider in the Laurel is a great start to a series that fans of Dan Brown will love to get their hands on.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Crossroad Press for the advance copy of Michael Pgoach The Spire in the :Laurel
December 10, 2018
The Spider in the Laurel was a fascinating, yet interesting read. I enjoyed the world that Pogach created for his characters, and I liked how this story was from Rafael's point of view.
Going further into the world aspect, it was the first time that I had read something about how religious artifacts were condemned and that even religious practices were outlawed. I was able to have the privilege to speak/listen to Pogach while he talked about the world-building process, and it amazed me how much time was spent thinking of this dystopia. Even further, his characters reflected this world, and "spoke" to him so he could figure out where to go next.
Overall, great work!
Going further into the world aspect, it was the first time that I had read something about how religious artifacts were condemned and that even religious practices were outlawed. I was able to have the privilege to speak/listen to Pogach while he talked about the world-building process, and it amazed me how much time was spent thinking of this dystopia. Even further, his characters reflected this world, and "spoke" to him so he could figure out where to go next.
Overall, great work!
October 20, 2022
This was a great read, The dystopian well controlled world you are introduced to intrigues but also terrifies you are bit, Rafael, Hannah and the other characters you meet are fantastic and the story which is fast paced and makes you anxious to what will happen next has you turning the page.
Be warned you do get wrapped up in the book right from the beginning, so I recommend you get yourself a comfy spot and make sure you clear some time to be able to read it start to finish.
I am stoked there are another three books available in the series to read!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Be warned you do get wrapped up in the book right from the beginning, so I recommend you get yourself a comfy spot and make sure you clear some time to be able to read it start to finish.
I am stoked there are another three books available in the series to read!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 7, 2019
Duration: 10 hrs 6 mins
The Spider in the Laurel, Rafael Ward series, Book 1 by Michael Pogach blends elements of urban fantasy with Orwellian dystopia to bring us a fast-paced debut.
Audible Summary: In Tomorrow's America, Belief is the New Enemy. Even a Silent Prayer can get you Black-Bagged. Historian Rafael Ward is a good citizen, teaching students the government approved narrative of the nation's history. Until the black-baggers come calling. They have a job for him, one he's not allowed to refuse: Ward must go undercover as a Believer and smuggler to hunt down and destroy the artifacts he cherishes. Before he knows it, he's following fugitive Hannah MacKenzie on a fool's quest to recover the legendary Vase of Soissons, a Dark Age relic prophesized to restore faith to the world.
I really liked this audiobook's premise; anything that features a historian and relic hunter has me humming the Indiana Jones theme tune before the book has even finished downloading. Pogach's vision of the not-too-distant future soon snapped me out of my reverie, however, as in 'Tomorrow's America' things are a little more Big Brother than Temple of Doom (despite both having ties to 1984).
The protagonist, Rafael Ward, has his life turned upside-down when the authorities - the mysterious REC - command him to track down a historical artifact at a time when history, if in any way influenced by spirituality or religion, is prohibited. The mission is dangerous and our hero is reluctant... at least until he meets the alluring Mackenzie.
I struggled to connect with the book at first, despite my initial interest in the subject, but after a few chapters it began to click. I'm not sure why it took me that long to really settle in with this audiobook, but once past that early slump it picked up pace and was much more engaging.
Many of the themes in this audiobook make me think of the Reformation. The destruction of history we experienced then is evident throughout England today in many a ruined church and defaced statue. With so many tangible examples of just how easily the state has previously wiped out all traces of a religion with which it clashed, it was not too big a leap to imagine a more contemporary, political landscape in which the same objective might be achieved. Whilst the loss of treasured artifacts tugs at my heart, I was intrigued by a world which was not ruled by religion, especially given its influence in America. (Ours, I feel, is a much more secular society, by comparison.)
With that in mind, I found that I was just as uncomfortable with the religious 'underground rebels' being portrayed as the oppressed good guys as I was with the totalitarian regulation they opposed. I think this was partly because we live in a world full of people who genuinely believe their way of life is under attack, and frequently respond by attacking others' beliefs. Instead of campaigning for greater tolerance they seem to fight hardest for the right to be intolerant. These musings were not unwelcome, I liked that it made me think, and that I did so from a similar perspective to Ward; someone with a deep appreciation for human history, art, architecture, and literature, but without the same connection to the religious beliefs that often underpinned it. I was most able to relate to his character, and appreciated the awe with which he looked upon the intricately-crafted churches and cathedrals beyond his own government's newly-sanitised borders.
I rolled my eyes a little at an early description of a bartender, when Ward observed that her dress "would have looked trashy on anyone else, but on her it looked elegant". Many of us have heard similar lines from men chatting us up, and it really isn't the compliment some of them think it is. This is a relatively minor gripe, though, as overall the book is well written and does not languish too often in the clichéd, stereotypical, or misogynistic scenes which have come to typify the genre.
The narrator, Terry F. Self, brings the characters alive with an enjoyable, energetic performance, and is pleasant to listen to. As Mackenzie has Scottish origins it was a shame that he mispronounced Edinburgh, the city of her birth (which he said as Eh-din-burg not Eh-din-bruh), but as far as non-Brits are concerned that word is something of a linguistic-banana-peel waiting to trip them up, so I'm willing to overlook it.
The audiobook's production was very good, except for background sounds in places during Audible chapters 27/28/29/30. For example, a vibrating mobile phone alert went off several times, and actually became quite annoying. It's a rather insignificant thing, but occurred at a tense point in the story when Ward and McKenzie were supposed to be off-grid, which made it stand out more, jarring me out of the story rather than blending into the background.
I would still gladly recommend this audiobook to people who like near-future dystopia, shady government organisations, action, and a little fantasy.
*I received this audiobook free of charge in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
If you liked this review then please join me for more!
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The Spider in the Laurel, Rafael Ward series, Book 1 by Michael Pogach blends elements of urban fantasy with Orwellian dystopia to bring us a fast-paced debut.
Audible Summary: In Tomorrow's America, Belief is the New Enemy. Even a Silent Prayer can get you Black-Bagged. Historian Rafael Ward is a good citizen, teaching students the government approved narrative of the nation's history. Until the black-baggers come calling. They have a job for him, one he's not allowed to refuse: Ward must go undercover as a Believer and smuggler to hunt down and destroy the artifacts he cherishes. Before he knows it, he's following fugitive Hannah MacKenzie on a fool's quest to recover the legendary Vase of Soissons, a Dark Age relic prophesized to restore faith to the world.
I really liked this audiobook's premise; anything that features a historian and relic hunter has me humming the Indiana Jones theme tune before the book has even finished downloading. Pogach's vision of the not-too-distant future soon snapped me out of my reverie, however, as in 'Tomorrow's America' things are a little more Big Brother than Temple of Doom (despite both having ties to 1984).
The protagonist, Rafael Ward, has his life turned upside-down when the authorities - the mysterious REC - command him to track down a historical artifact at a time when history, if in any way influenced by spirituality or religion, is prohibited. The mission is dangerous and our hero is reluctant... at least until he meets the alluring Mackenzie.
I struggled to connect with the book at first, despite my initial interest in the subject, but after a few chapters it began to click. I'm not sure why it took me that long to really settle in with this audiobook, but once past that early slump it picked up pace and was much more engaging.
Many of the themes in this audiobook make me think of the Reformation. The destruction of history we experienced then is evident throughout England today in many a ruined church and defaced statue. With so many tangible examples of just how easily the state has previously wiped out all traces of a religion with which it clashed, it was not too big a leap to imagine a more contemporary, political landscape in which the same objective might be achieved. Whilst the loss of treasured artifacts tugs at my heart, I was intrigued by a world which was not ruled by religion, especially given its influence in America. (Ours, I feel, is a much more secular society, by comparison.)
With that in mind, I found that I was just as uncomfortable with the religious 'underground rebels' being portrayed as the oppressed good guys as I was with the totalitarian regulation they opposed. I think this was partly because we live in a world full of people who genuinely believe their way of life is under attack, and frequently respond by attacking others' beliefs. Instead of campaigning for greater tolerance they seem to fight hardest for the right to be intolerant. These musings were not unwelcome, I liked that it made me think, and that I did so from a similar perspective to Ward; someone with a deep appreciation for human history, art, architecture, and literature, but without the same connection to the religious beliefs that often underpinned it. I was most able to relate to his character, and appreciated the awe with which he looked upon the intricately-crafted churches and cathedrals beyond his own government's newly-sanitised borders.
I rolled my eyes a little at an early description of a bartender, when Ward observed that her dress "would have looked trashy on anyone else, but on her it looked elegant". Many of us have heard similar lines from men chatting us up, and it really isn't the compliment some of them think it is. This is a relatively minor gripe, though, as overall the book is well written and does not languish too often in the clichéd, stereotypical, or misogynistic scenes which have come to typify the genre.
The narrator, Terry F. Self, brings the characters alive with an enjoyable, energetic performance, and is pleasant to listen to. As Mackenzie has Scottish origins it was a shame that he mispronounced Edinburgh, the city of her birth (which he said as Eh-din-burg not Eh-din-bruh), but as far as non-Brits are concerned that word is something of a linguistic-banana-peel waiting to trip them up, so I'm willing to overlook it.
The audiobook's production was very good, except for background sounds in places during Audible chapters 27/28/29/30. For example, a vibrating mobile phone alert went off several times, and actually became quite annoying. It's a rather insignificant thing, but occurred at a tense point in the story when Ward and McKenzie were supposed to be off-grid, which made it stand out more, jarring me out of the story rather than blending into the background.
I would still gladly recommend this audiobook to people who like near-future dystopia, shady government organisations, action, and a little fantasy.
*I received this audiobook free of charge in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
If you liked this review then please join me for more!
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April 14, 2020
If you’re interested in a book that is both incredibly well written, and incredibly well thought out, this is definitely one for you. I would say that the intricate nature of this book was done extraordinarily well. I rarely see something so massive done to this degree of capability and I enjoyed it thoroughly. This book has great characters, fascinating world-building, a whole slew of entertaining plot points and history thrown in for good measure. Spider in the Laurel is definitely on my list of best books for 2020.
July 7, 2017
An interesting story which at times is a page turner and at times overly long and repetitive. The idea of secular dystopia is an interesting one and it avoid my fears of making religion good and secularism bad.
The ending lost me - a number of characters and twists could have been cut out - but I genuinely cared for the 2 main characters.
Overall worth a read for an interesting take on a secular dystopia.
I've given this 4 stars but it's more a 3.5.
The ending lost me - a number of characters and twists could have been cut out - but I genuinely cared for the 2 main characters.
Overall worth a read for an interesting take on a secular dystopia.
I've given this 4 stars but it's more a 3.5.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 8, 2018
This book is an interesting mix of genres that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. Michael Pogach is a strong writer and obviously has a creative imagination since he was able to accomplish this piece of work in such a strong way. The risks Pogach took in this book makes the story even more compelling. Every aspect of the book is well thought out, even down to the names of the characters. I was truly impressed by this book and can't wait to read more from Michael Pogach.
September 23, 2018
A fast paced thriller that keeps you saying "Ok, I'll stop at the end of this chapter" until you run out of chapters. The chararcters and the setting were well developed and not overdone. Think Indiana Jones as a historian that would fit into a Dan Brown or Clive Cussler novel. I'm really looking forward to getting the 2nd book and seeing where this adventure leads. A truly impressive debut novel by the author. Let's hope Rafael Ward watches his back and keeps us reading for many more years.
February 20, 2021
Michael Pogach's The Spider in the Laurel is one of those books that has an interesting premise that doesn't seem to be used to its fullest potential. The writing is fine, the characters authentic to their world, and yet I didn't feel the pull into the story that I get from other books written in similar genres. I did like the blend of tropes (I'm honestly on the fence about this one; I'd likely read the sequel if I came across it, but I don't think I would actively seek it out.
May 6, 2019
The Spider in the Laurel book is very powerful book it has a lot of metaphorical events that keep you reading. The action alone in this book makes perfect sense to the tittle. The choice of words that is used chapter to chapter break everything down setting you up for what may or may not happen. I honestly believe this takes pride in all his work I do look forward to reading more of his books.
July 17, 2019
3.5/5. This is Jason Bourne meets the Davinci Code. Well written, it'll definitely pull some readers in and push others away with its religious themes. The religious will find it better than other readers, but it was still worth the time. The narrator was a fantastic choice for this work.
**I received a free copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.
**I received a free copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.
August 2, 2017
A fun an entertaining story along the lines of Dan Brown. It can be convoluted and even confusing at times but for a first time novel this is wonderful. I'm excited to see what the author writes next!
April 14, 2018
The book is not only well written but it brings a lot of philosophy into the story telling. It has the audience questioning about the world around them and comparing their current life to the book. It's a very suspenseful book and worth the read.
November 8, 2020
I enjoyed this religious, dystopian thriller. It was full of suspense. Lots of action and adventure. Well rounded likeable characters. A good enjoyable read and I recommend it.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for sending me this ARC.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for sending me this ARC.
September 28, 2018
loved this - can't wait to see what happens next!
April 28, 2019
This book is very interesting and keeps the readers engaged throughout the book.The author does a very good job with this book can’t wait for the next one .Highly recommend this book .
December 31, 2021
The start of a fascinating series, which combines the classic thriller-novel style with a near future dystopia and a depth and breadth of knowledge in art and religious history. Well worth the ride.
November 13, 2022
If you're into dystopian future books, this one is for you.
July 18, 2017
so i was super interested in the premise of this book because I've read tons of speculative fiction revolving around a religious takeover.
I have never read one where religion was fully outlawed. well, none where that was the main feature of the plotline.
i give two stars because I liked the world building. I liked his explanation of the rules of the world, especially around something as contradictory as a history professor in his plotline.
however, there wasn't a satisfying explanation of how this in society came to be. just kind of like up well war and this is how it is now!.
the characters were also generic. nothing special about them. I thought it was predictable and never really became more than surface commentary.
great idea. could have been done better.
I have never read one where religion was fully outlawed. well, none where that was the main feature of the plotline.
i give two stars because I liked the world building. I liked his explanation of the rules of the world, especially around something as contradictory as a history professor in his plotline.
however, there wasn't a satisfying explanation of how this in society came to be. just kind of like up well war and this is how it is now!.
the characters were also generic. nothing special about them. I thought it was predictable and never really became more than surface commentary.
great idea. could have been done better.
March 13, 2016
The Spider in the Laurel is set about forty years in the future when religion has been outlawed. Several people have compared it to a mix of 1984 and The Divinci Code. I haven't read the latter, but I have unsuccessfully struggled through the former, and I can tell you I found Mr. Pogash's book much more interesting.
There have been comparisons to Indiana Jones too as the conflict surrounds the recovery of a sacred relic. The book is compelling, complicated, and well written. Being on a quest to learn more about story structure, I appreciated how tight Mr. Pogash's narrative was. He amped the stakes at the right moments, adding complexity to an already powerful conflict.
It's very thoughtful too. One of my favorite quotes from the book is:
'Religion,' he said, 'is the one thing I think the Republic got right. It's nothing but a corrupted invention.'
As a Christian that statement struck me and gave me pause. Only a short one though because I found I agreed with it. I see religion as a corruption of the faith that I follow and hold dear. The book pushed me to think about the ways that Christianity has been made a religion, the dangers of religion, and the ways I am tempted to live my life through the framework of a man-constructed, man-dependent, and man-pleasing religion rather than living my life in dependance and worship of God.
In the world of this book, religion is so corrupt that it turned it's followers into terrorists. It's bold and risks offending some, but I'm glad he choose to do that instead of just having simple, innocent religious martyrs. Besides making the characters more interesting and complex it also makes you think.
We've had acts of terror committed that are associated with Christians in the past year: the shooting at the African American Church and the shooting at the Planned Parenthood office. For all our attempts to deny otherwise, the church has had a bloody history: the crusades, the inquisition, the reformation, the butchering of the anabaptists, and recent events. I don't believe that these things detract from the truth of the gospel, but it points to something we are afraid to admit. Our faith can be corrupted and when it is it can become a terrible, oppressive movement.
There is so much more I could say about this, but I want to get back to the book. Just know the book will challenge you to think. The above paragraphs are proof of that.
Last Tuesday I got to attend a reading of the book. It was a great time of getting to hear about Mr. Pogash's process and listen to the selections he had chosen to share. What I thought was interesting was his response to a question about how he came up with names. He confessed that he often is unsatisfied with the names he chooses for characters. In this case, he was unsure about Rafael Ward's name (the protagonist of the story). He had struggled to find something with deep meaning that didn't feel forced.
In many ways Rafael is a great name for the main character. Not only is it the name of an angel who appears in one of the books from the Apocrypha but it also is the name of a famous renaissance artist, best known for his religious paintings. But it did feel forced. It was one of the few things about the story that bothered me all the way through. For a culture that was bent on eradicating religion, it seemed wrong for him to have such a religious name. No one ever questioned it, or made fun of it, or even brought up the fact that his name represented what the Republic was trying to bring down. Maybe that could be addressed in the sequel.
Other then the name there was one tiny thing that felt weak, an oft repeated phrase, and a large story issue that bothered me throughout ninety percent of the book. I kept pushing through because I was confident that the story would wrap up in a way that would show that what I thought was a story issue wasn't one. My confidence was rewarded.
I bring that up to show really how strong this book is. Two minor problems, a name and a phrase. It's a thoughtful action story that I look forward to re-reading and I cannot wait to read the sequel.
There have been comparisons to Indiana Jones too as the conflict surrounds the recovery of a sacred relic. The book is compelling, complicated, and well written. Being on a quest to learn more about story structure, I appreciated how tight Mr. Pogash's narrative was. He amped the stakes at the right moments, adding complexity to an already powerful conflict.
It's very thoughtful too. One of my favorite quotes from the book is:
'Religion,' he said, 'is the one thing I think the Republic got right. It's nothing but a corrupted invention.'
As a Christian that statement struck me and gave me pause. Only a short one though because I found I agreed with it. I see religion as a corruption of the faith that I follow and hold dear. The book pushed me to think about the ways that Christianity has been made a religion, the dangers of religion, and the ways I am tempted to live my life through the framework of a man-constructed, man-dependent, and man-pleasing religion rather than living my life in dependance and worship of God.
In the world of this book, religion is so corrupt that it turned it's followers into terrorists. It's bold and risks offending some, but I'm glad he choose to do that instead of just having simple, innocent religious martyrs. Besides making the characters more interesting and complex it also makes you think.
We've had acts of terror committed that are associated with Christians in the past year: the shooting at the African American Church and the shooting at the Planned Parenthood office. For all our attempts to deny otherwise, the church has had a bloody history: the crusades, the inquisition, the reformation, the butchering of the anabaptists, and recent events. I don't believe that these things detract from the truth of the gospel, but it points to something we are afraid to admit. Our faith can be corrupted and when it is it can become a terrible, oppressive movement.
There is so much more I could say about this, but I want to get back to the book. Just know the book will challenge you to think. The above paragraphs are proof of that.
Last Tuesday I got to attend a reading of the book. It was a great time of getting to hear about Mr. Pogash's process and listen to the selections he had chosen to share. What I thought was interesting was his response to a question about how he came up with names. He confessed that he often is unsatisfied with the names he chooses for characters. In this case, he was unsure about Rafael Ward's name (the protagonist of the story). He had struggled to find something with deep meaning that didn't feel forced.
In many ways Rafael is a great name for the main character. Not only is it the name of an angel who appears in one of the books from the Apocrypha but it also is the name of a famous renaissance artist, best known for his religious paintings. But it did feel forced. It was one of the few things about the story that bothered me all the way through. For a culture that was bent on eradicating religion, it seemed wrong for him to have such a religious name. No one ever questioned it, or made fun of it, or even brought up the fact that his name represented what the Republic was trying to bring down. Maybe that could be addressed in the sequel.
Other then the name there was one tiny thing that felt weak, an oft repeated phrase, and a large story issue that bothered me throughout ninety percent of the book. I kept pushing through because I was confident that the story would wrap up in a way that would show that what I thought was a story issue wasn't one. My confidence was rewarded.
I bring that up to show really how strong this book is. Two minor problems, a name and a phrase. It's a thoughtful action story that I look forward to re-reading and I cannot wait to read the sequel.
December 8, 2015
The Spider and the Laurel has some pretty hefty hurdles to overcome in its premise: it is a religiously-themed series about a militant anti-religious government having taken over the United States and yet has its hero be an atheist. The idea of such a government coming to pass in the not-so-distant-future is, itself, only slightly more plausible than North Korea taking over the USA in the Red Dawn remake.
The United States is one of the most religious nations on Earth and certainly the most among Westernized ones. Such premises tend to be purely the province of alarmist fundamentalist fiction such as the Left Behind series. Yet, that's not what this book is about. As mentioned, The Spider and the Laurel has an atheist protagonist. This isn't just so he can have a "Paul on the Road to Damascus" moment so he can convert to Christianity. This isn't a Chick Track. No, instead, it is about an examination of faith and symbolism from an outsider's perspective.
I don't know Michael Pogach's religious beliefs but the books reminds me of the often-deep analysis of faith done by George R.R. Martin and John Michael Straczynski despite their own lack of belief. The Spider and the Laurel is more half-DaVinchi Code, half-Equilibrium than anything by those two but it had some surprisingly deep ideas. Another work it reminded me of was Dragon Age: Inquisition and its dealing with how messiah myths comes to pass.
The premise is Rafael Ward, Medieval history teacher, has been conscripted by the totalitarian government of the United States to help them authentic relics for destruction. Because this is a book rather than reality, Rafael is required to work in the field as a spy rather than having the relics brought to him. I never questioned this during my read of the book, though, because the author successfully captures the nervousness as well as paranoia Rafael feels when he's dispatched into missions by his superiors.
One of the more interesting practices separating Catholicism from Protestant Christianity is the veneration of relics or items, particularly body parts, which relate to saints. We're all familiar with the Holy Grail and Spear of Destiny but there was an entire cottage industry related to bones as well as other items during the Middle Ages. Michael is both very good at his job and hates himself for it since, even if he doesn't believe in God, he finds the destruction of history despicable. After recovering what is most certainly not the Spear of Destiny but a convincing fake, he is sent on a mission to recover a much-more dangerous item. This, of course, puts him in contact with a beautiful Believer as well as a conspiracy which makes him question his commitment to the government even more than he already is.
There's a lot to swallow in the book's premise but once I got past the initial premise, I really started to like it. As mentioned, there's a lot of really good questions about the role of faith as well as inspirational effects (good and bad) relating to how society's function. There's also a good examination of how oppressive governments must either suppress religion or co-opt it in order to guarantee their power. I actually was quite invested in the story by the end and rather disappointed it took a turn for the supernatural, even if that ended up confusing the issue of in-setting religious truth rather than confirming it either way.
In conclusion, I recommend this book. I liked the characters, I thought the action was well-done despite the hero not being a action-y type, and the questions it raised were deep ones. I think I might have believed the premise a bit more had it been set in another country or with a longer alternate history, though.
8/10
The United States is one of the most religious nations on Earth and certainly the most among Westernized ones. Such premises tend to be purely the province of alarmist fundamentalist fiction such as the Left Behind series. Yet, that's not what this book is about. As mentioned, The Spider and the Laurel has an atheist protagonist. This isn't just so he can have a "Paul on the Road to Damascus" moment so he can convert to Christianity. This isn't a Chick Track. No, instead, it is about an examination of faith and symbolism from an outsider's perspective.
I don't know Michael Pogach's religious beliefs but the books reminds me of the often-deep analysis of faith done by George R.R. Martin and John Michael Straczynski despite their own lack of belief. The Spider and the Laurel is more half-DaVinchi Code, half-Equilibrium than anything by those two but it had some surprisingly deep ideas. Another work it reminded me of was Dragon Age: Inquisition and its dealing with how messiah myths comes to pass.
The premise is Rafael Ward, Medieval history teacher, has been conscripted by the totalitarian government of the United States to help them authentic relics for destruction. Because this is a book rather than reality, Rafael is required to work in the field as a spy rather than having the relics brought to him. I never questioned this during my read of the book, though, because the author successfully captures the nervousness as well as paranoia Rafael feels when he's dispatched into missions by his superiors.
One of the more interesting practices separating Catholicism from Protestant Christianity is the veneration of relics or items, particularly body parts, which relate to saints. We're all familiar with the Holy Grail and Spear of Destiny but there was an entire cottage industry related to bones as well as other items during the Middle Ages. Michael is both very good at his job and hates himself for it since, even if he doesn't believe in God, he finds the destruction of history despicable. After recovering what is most certainly not the Spear of Destiny but a convincing fake, he is sent on a mission to recover a much-more dangerous item. This, of course, puts him in contact with a beautiful Believer as well as a conspiracy which makes him question his commitment to the government even more than he already is.
There's a lot to swallow in the book's premise but once I got past the initial premise, I really started to like it. As mentioned, there's a lot of really good questions about the role of faith as well as inspirational effects (good and bad) relating to how society's function. There's also a good examination of how oppressive governments must either suppress religion or co-opt it in order to guarantee their power. I actually was quite invested in the story by the end and rather disappointed it took a turn for the supernatural, even if that ended up confusing the issue of in-setting religious truth rather than confirming it either way.
In conclusion, I recommend this book. I liked the characters, I thought the action was well-done despite the hero not being a action-y type, and the questions it raised were deep ones. I think I might have believed the premise a bit more had it been set in another country or with a longer alternate history, though.
8/10
October 13, 2015
Reading the synopsis gives a fairly honest perspective of what this book is about. My own "it's like" description for this book is "It's like The Da Vinci Code set in the world of 1984." It isn't that precisely, though. It definitely has shades of "Indiana Jones" (even to the point that a character says, un-ironically, "It belongs in a museum,") and the Bourne books (the lead character, though a new-ish agent, has training and executes well in some amazing hand-to-hand and fight and a few shootouts). I don't personally see much of American Gods, but there could be shades I missed. I'm a big Gaiman fan, so my rose-colored glasses might be limiting my critical perspective. They are both books about a man who lacks faith and who goes through some spiritual/psychological torment in the process of potentially acquiring it.
Faith is an important aspect of this book. I did not in any way find the book to be "Christian fiction," even though Christianity is a key factor in the events of the story; this isn't a book like the Left Behind series, the sort of story that can only be seen through a single lens. The protagonist's past has been deeply affected by Christianity, he spent his early adult life studying it (and other "mythologies"), he has recently taken up (for the government, not that he has a choice, really) collecting and destroying its relics, and he spends a lot of this book thinking about whether or not he believes in it. There are a lot of Christian allusions, with little things (such as a door opening three times, feeling much like the many instances of occurrences in triplicate in the Bible). Christianity and history are strong parts of this book's backbone. It wouldn't exist without religion. And it asks some interesting questions about what a society might be like if religion was no longer allowed to exist.
This book is about a man's crisis of faith, a life in flux. It is also a high-action, fast-paced, gun-heavy, sometimes-gory, world-traveling adventure that kept up the punches through the final pages.
The book ends without definitive statements. We can believe what we want about the ending, and that is perfect, considering the nature of the questions asked by the author throughout. I don't think this book is for everybody, but I think many readers can find something to like here. I was not sure what to expect; I was pleasantly surprised by the absence of (literal) spiders.
Faith is an important aspect of this book. I did not in any way find the book to be "Christian fiction," even though Christianity is a key factor in the events of the story; this isn't a book like the Left Behind series, the sort of story that can only be seen through a single lens. The protagonist's past has been deeply affected by Christianity, he spent his early adult life studying it (and other "mythologies"), he has recently taken up (for the government, not that he has a choice, really) collecting and destroying its relics, and he spends a lot of this book thinking about whether or not he believes in it. There are a lot of Christian allusions, with little things (such as a door opening three times, feeling much like the many instances of occurrences in triplicate in the Bible). Christianity and history are strong parts of this book's backbone. It wouldn't exist without religion. And it asks some interesting questions about what a society might be like if religion was no longer allowed to exist.
This book is about a man's crisis of faith, a life in flux. It is also a high-action, fast-paced, gun-heavy, sometimes-gory, world-traveling adventure that kept up the punches through the final pages.
The book ends without definitive statements. We can believe what we want about the ending, and that is perfect, considering the nature of the questions asked by the author throughout. I don't think this book is for everybody, but I think many readers can find something to like here. I was not sure what to expect; I was pleasantly surprised by the absence of (literal) spiders.
February 13, 2017
Full disclosure before I start: I actually know the author. In spite of this, or perhaps because of it, I truly loved this book. It is such an adventure from the very beginning through the end. The characters and the story are well developed over time. Pogach's knowledge of history, religion (the streets of Paris) and architecture is amazing!
While there are tons of well written, detailed descriptions, the narrative also gives you space to consider your own feelings and thoughts as you are experiencing Ward's journey. Even though the book focuses on an American policy, I found it interesting that the majority of the book takes place in Europe. I think many would agree that countries throughout the world face similar problems both internally and externally. In 'The Spider in the Laurel' America decides to face one large 'problem' on it's own. I found this decision and the enforcement of the policy very interesting when compared to the spread of Christianity across Europe in the middle ages, and our current political climate.
There are great surprises, twists and turns throughout. I'm very much looking forward to the next installment!
While there are tons of well written, detailed descriptions, the narrative also gives you space to consider your own feelings and thoughts as you are experiencing Ward's journey. Even though the book focuses on an American policy, I found it interesting that the majority of the book takes place in Europe. I think many would agree that countries throughout the world face similar problems both internally and externally. In 'The Spider in the Laurel' America decides to face one large 'problem' on it's own. I found this decision and the enforcement of the policy very interesting when compared to the spread of Christianity across Europe in the middle ages, and our current political climate.
There are great surprises, twists and turns throughout. I'm very much looking forward to the next installment!
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