Customer Reviews

The 37th Mandala

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I read a few glowing reviews of this (pretty amazing) novel, but could not find it anywhere; it was already out of print. I came across a remaindered copy (sorry) and read it over the next few days. The reviewers were right. The author's voice is right on the money as the cynical narrator takes advantage of the 'new-agers', sarcastically belittling them for their naivete, then learning to his horror that he was only slightly less naive. This is one of the few books I can think of that actually inspires a scary sort of awe in the reader, at least in this one. Scenes in Cambodia, and in the New Age store, and at the club, have stayed with me in the months since I finished the book. I've been trying to track down other books by Mr. Laidlaw, but so far, no luck. Just to give some idea of my taste, other books I've enjoyed to this degree lately are: 'KOKO', 'The Throat', and 'The Hellfire Club', all by Peter Straub, James Ellroy's 'LA Confidential', Bentley Little's 'The Ignored'. None of these are much like 'The 37th Mandala', but all of them are: Highly recommended.

Laidlaw has created one of the more unique horror novels I have ever read. I must admit that I had some difficulty getting through the first 50 pages or so of this novel, but after that, I simply could not stop reading this story.

Derek Crowe is a hack writer of new age/occult self-help books. His only concern is how to write "the" novel that will make him rich and famous. His disdain for his readers as well as his rather stunted personal life, however, combine to leave him feeling empty. While on the obligatory speaking engagement, Crowe meets the very young Michael and Lenore Renzler. What none of them realizes is that Derek's latest novel is a deceptively benevolent presentation of some serious evil. As it turns out, Derek has knowingly altered these ancient texts of the mandalas, thus allowing a powerful, horrible force into the world. Derek, Michael and Lenore are all drawn into a spiraling life-threatening chase to fight or join the mandalas.

Laidlaw's writing is superb. Even though it took me a few pages to finally get into the story, this is a novel that certainly reached out and clawed its way into my imagination. The subject is rather unique, and this is a breath of fresh air for the horror genre. Laidlaw creates interesting, believable characters, and the mandalas are some of the creepiest things I've read about in a long time! This is definitely a novel well worth your time. It's intelligent, captivating and terrifying--what more do you want in a novel?

In the Tuol Sleng Museum of Genocide in Cambodia, a journalist is seeking a manuscript. But this manuscript is more than just a pile of papers, a memoir written by yet another nameless victim of Khmer killing squads, it has a life of its own, and the entities within it want to be known to the world. These entities - thirty-seven mandalas which feed upon human passions - want more scope for their needs. They want more food.

Horror doesn't have to be invented. True horror exists in our world as a recognition of our own darkest depths; how can we help but recoil from tales of torture and murder so egregious that some people persist in believing the events described could not have happened? Mark Laidlaw understands the nature of horror, and he uses this knowledge to root his novel, THE 37TH MANDALA, firmly in those shadowy realms which we do not wish to see, but cannot quite look away from. He opens the book in in a place which stands as a monument to the Cambodians - between one and two million by most estimates, as many as a quarter of the country's inhabitants - who were tortured and murdered by the Khmer Rouge, their own countrymen, between 1975 and 1979, their bodies strewn on what is now known as "The Killing Fields." It's to his credit that he does not attempt to explain away evil by attributing it to the influence of the mandalas (or any external force) because that would ring false. Rather he presents us with a group of living things that feed upon cruelty and evil and perhaps intensify it, but which never create it. And it's here that the real horror of this book lies, in the knowledge that the mandalas exist in a sort of symbiotic relationship with human beings, gobbling up the emotions which we are constantly throwing off, deriving more nourishment from the strong ones, delighting in the malign ones as if they were emotional t-bone steaks.

Laidlaw has created a nearly seamless narrative that carries the reader along on a flow of ideas as much as on the action, a trait he shares with Stephen King. His characters are both believable and memorable. I didn't much like Derek Crowe, Lenore, Michael, Elias Mooney or the others, but I doubt I'll forget them easily precisely because they were so human and fallible. I recognized these people and, despite myself, I identified with them. Though I had a few problems with the narrative they are, perhaps, more my problems than Laidlaw's. I found some of his choices a little gratuitous, and frankly, the novel's end was rather more downbeat than I like. Despite that, I derived a good deal of pleasure from the skill with which Laidlaw presents his ideas, in his tight, unflinching prose which forces the reader to bring a good deal of thought to the story. In one particularly brilliant section, the protagonist (naming her would give away too much of the plot) witnesses a scene between mother and child from two levels of consciousness - human and mandala. Laidlaw gives us a scene of terrible rage and cruelty in counterpoint to the ordinary dealings between a petulant child and an irritated mother, and in a moment the workings of the mandalas become at once clearer and more ambiguous. If spiritual and emotional ambiguity disturb you, or if you don't feel like working with the author to get the meat of the story, then skip this book. But if you're prepared for a book which forces you to think about these issues, then THE 37TH MANDALA is well worth your time.

I found "The 37th Mandala" to be pleasingly reminiscent of Clive Barker's "The Great & Secret Show". It was a delightfully wicked and creepy read.

The Mandalas are reminiscent of another creation of Mr. Barker's, as well! There's that same feel and setting as with the puzzle box and the Cenobites.

The care with which Marc Laidlaw takes with his characters and their surroundings shows on every page. The depiction of Tuol Sleng was eerily accurate.

I think readers will enjoy getting to know Derek Crowe most of all. A sneak, scoundrel and opportunist who does not understand the series of events he's set into motion.

The supporting cast of characters is intriguing as well as engaging.

Should you get a chance to read this book, I do not think you will be disappointed.

New age author Derek Crowe's latest book "The Mandala Rites" is quickly gaining him notoriety. But Crowe is a charlatan who plagiarized his book, thinks the Mandalas are fiction, and thinks his followers are fools. Contrary to what Crowe believes, his Mandalas--which his book portrays as benevolent cosmic assistants leading mankind to a better place--are far from imaginary and certainly not good. The Mandalas are ancient creatures who feed of the evil of mankind and attach themselves like leeches to human slaves. And an event that marks a new age is coming: the 37 Mandalas are gathering...

Marc Laidlaw's "The 37th Mandala" is a tense and, at times, down-right frightening book with shades of "The Body Snatches" and the classic demon possesion theme. Laidlaw's writing and presentation are good but, to me, the most interesting part is the whole new mythology he presents in the form of the "Mandalas". Part Lovecraftian horror, part Puppet Masters, and part artwork, the Mandalas and the whole systems that surround them (tattoos, religious rites, etc.) is extremely well thought out and presented. Rather than pick some existing horror creature or system to expend upon Laidlaw has presented an entirely new evil. And he's done it quite well.

The only downside (if you can even call it that) to "The 37th Mandala" is the pace. It starts out slow and builds, revealing each new mystery just a bit at a time. For the most part it's not action-packed until the end but it is fascinating enough to hold your attention the entire time.

Marc Laidlaw has chosen an unusual subject matter for this novel: mandalas - astral creatures that feed on human pain. A spiritualist named Elias Mooney discovered them and shared their existence with Derek Crowe, an entrepreneur whom he trusts. But Crowe is more interested in making money off the phenomena, and he twists Mooney's writings into palatable new age drivel, generating a cultish religion and gaining celebrity for himself. He doesn't truly believe in his mentor's teachings, until two young followers are all too successful in breaking the barrier between the planes and come to him, desperately seeking help.

THE 37TH MANDALA is a well-written drama about meddling with greater powers but it never really becomes as involving as it could have. After a powerful prologue, the story settles into a typical adventure with typical characters. The mandalas themselves, though nicely depicted, are never really frightening and actually become less interesting as the story progresses. The importance of the number 37 is stressed at the very start of the book (which, amusingly, contains 37 chapters) and the significance of the title mandala is strongly hinted at, as if generating some kind of build-up. Yet later on this idea is abandoned, as it seems everyone has a mandala of their own - and that's something we have seen before. (John Shirley's WETBONES comes to mind.)

It's a decent novel, and most people will probably enjoy it, but I had higher expectations.

I just now finished The 37th Mandala and all I can say is the cliched "wow". Strange, violent, bitter but not hopeless this sadly undervalued work stands head and shoulders above many other, more high profile horror books...I've read a fair amount in the genre and it's clear that Laidlaw has here created a unique piece that should take its place amongst the treasured classics. Few other novels of the last 25 years do as much as this book to elevate the craft above the usual terror trappings and to advance it into an intelligent realm of speculative fiction. Overall, a brilliant novel that will frighten, entrance and amaze you.

I read this book in a day in a half. Scaring me silly I could only pick it up in the daytime. I could not beleive it did not make the top ten in Horror or that the book got so little press.

IT WAS ABSOLUTELY EXCELLENT!

And now it's out of print? The publisher needs to resurrect this one immediately, give it the publicity it deserves because there are too many horror fans out there who will never get the chance to read this excellent tangle into the dark side of things.

I have my copy and the dust jacket and will hold onto them both. It was a true find, a rare read and I know one day somebody will rediscover it and have it reissued.

This book was THE BEST HORROR NOVEL I have read since THE SHINING. I'll be checking for more good stuff from this fantastic author.

Margaret Johnson-Hodge,

Author of THE REAL DEAL and A NEW DAY

The premise of The 37th Mandala is excellent: that of New Age charlatan Derek Crowe, who steals form an occult text to write his latest book. Little does he know that the text is real, and has unleashed the deadly Mandalas, cosmic creatures who feed on misery and pain.

True horror comes from revulsion and disgust, and the novel does this very well in many parts. There is plenty of suspense in the conversations between Crowe, a devout non-believer, and the mystic he steals the text from. Is he a crazy recluse, or the real thing? Perhaps the best horror comes in what Crowe, for inexplicable reasons, decides to wear to the climactic party. Of course, there's deep childhood traumas, a common horror trope, here it's executed quite well and adds good character depth.

What's sad, then, is that the novel is uneven, due to its unusual structure. It starts with the book already published, and gives away too many surprises too early. There's also the problem of the mandalas themselves: they became less scary as the novel progresses. One can only describe flailing pinwheels with many-clawed tendrils against the blood-red sky so many times.

On a more personal note, I dislike stories where all the characters and events are governed by a cosmic destiny. It nullifies the character's choices, and they appear like puppets to no good end. Furthermore, I think the reader is meant sympathize with Crowe a little bit (I know I did) so it's odd when towards the end he's suddenly treated like a villain deserving punishment.

Admittedly, I was drawn to the 37th Mandala because of author Marc Laidlaw's connection to the Half-Life computer game, itself a better work about alien monsters and The Unknown. I hesitate to recommend this book, but it did take me to frightening places, from the killing fields of Cambodia to the fluorescent-flooded rest stops of the American Midwest. The characters and dialogue are more developed than those of H.P. Lovecraft, whom this book is often compared to, but it lacks the singular, engrossing narrative that has given Lovecraft's work its longevity.

Ambitious but ultimately unfulfilling horror novel that attempts to capture Lovecraft's grasp of the horror of the beyond. Laidlaw starts with a good premise - a new-age writer who's really a con artist finds himself toying with something he doesn't understand - and adds some nice plot on top of it, but the book never really coalesces into anything all that satisfying. The three main characters all feel a little flat, and the "action" is too far-paced to keep things moving all the time, and just bunched enough to create a strange pace. What's more, it's pretty tough to describe the indescribable, and Laidlaw tries, but never really creates the atmosphere and dread and horror that someone like Lovecraft was so good at. It's not really that Mandala is a bad book, but it's ultimately disappointing, especially given all the hype it received; there's no doubt it's ambitious, but it falls pretty short of achieving the goals it sets for itself.