The Dark River

May 28, 2007
At the start of the engrossing second entry in bestseller Twelve Hawks’s Fourth Realm trilogy (after The Traveler
), the Brethren continue to control civilization through a computerized information system, the Vast Machine, and a host of offshoot surveillance technologies. Opposed to the Brethren are the Travelers, an ancient clan with the mystical ability to slip in and out of several dimensions. The Travelers are guarded by Harlequins, a warrior caste with sharp swords and ferociously lethal skills. In the Cain and Abel story at the book’s heart, the quest of two Travelers, brothers Gabriel and Michael Corrigan, to find their legendary father has split them irrevocably: Gabriel fights for the forces of good, Michael has turned to the dark side. A love story featuring Gabriel’s beautiful, deadly but conflicted Harlequin bodyguard, Maya, adds human interest to an often superhuman tale, and Gabriel’s out-of-body journey to a horrifyingly fascinating parallel world adds a particularly compelling component to a saga that’s part A Wrinkle in Time
, part The Matrix
and part Kurosawa epic. Given the complicated plot and complex setting, readers are advised to read The Traveler
first.

June 1, 2007
The Corrigan brothers (first introduced in The Traveler) return in the second volume of "The Fourth Realm" trilogy. Michael and Gabriel are racing each other across the globe and in parallel universes to find their long-lost father. The now-alienated siblings come from an extended line of Travelers, enlightened prophets able to reach different levels of metaphysical realms. Gabriel, protected by the Harlequin Maya from the Tabula (who are bent on destroying every known Traveler), moves well below the radar with the help of friends Hollis and Vicki. Michael, who has joined forces with the enemy, uses the Tabula's bottomless wealth and highly advanced technological resources to track down their father ruthlessly. Blending technology with spirituality, this solid, fast-paced thriller is essential for fans of visionary fiction and popular fiction collections. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 3/1/07]Joy St. John, Henderson Dist. P.L., NV

Copyright 2007 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from July 1, 2007
The mysterious Twelve Hawks follows up his engaging debut, The Traveler (2005), with this even more exciting sequel. Brothers Gabriel and Michael Corrigan, who in the previous book discovered they were Travelers and wound up on opposite sides in a mystical battle that reaches far back into history, are shocked to learn that their father, presumed dead for the past two decades, is still alive and in hiding in Europe. Gabriel and Michael set out in search of the man but for vastly different reasons: Gabriel to protect his father from the evil Brethren; Michael (now highly placed in the Brethren organization) to kill him. This is a hugely enjoyable book, a globe-trotting adventure thats a treat for everyone who likes a good thriller and a special treat for fans of stories involving secret societies, global conspiracies, and mysticism. The author tells us a few more tidbits about Travelers, their ancient protectors the Harlequins, and their sworn enemies the Tabula, but he keeps a lot of things hidden away, as though telling us too much all at once might shatter the world hes created. Although the book works fine on its own, familiarity with The Traveler will help readers appreciate some of this tales subtleties: as opposed to many writers, Twelve Hawks avoids clunky chunks of exposition and backstory, preferring instead simply to set the story in motion and let the readers pick things up as they go along. Needless to say, after finishing the book, readers willwait in breathless anticipation for the next installment in this gripping blend of fantasy and crime fiction.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)