4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
You Owe It to Yourself to Read This Book, July 14, 2007
This review is from: Heretofore: Unknown (Paperback)
What a refreshing and enjoyable experience it is to read yet another installment of Lee Murphy's Kodiak books. Mr. Murphy keeps the reader engaged from the first word until the last paragraph. Indeed, when the book ends, the reader finds himself wanting more. And, of course, this is just what a good writer intends. "How can he stop here?" One cannot help but ask. Let's hope that our next opportunity to enjoy this fine author's work comes sooner rather than later.
In this volume we again find Mr. Murphy's primary protagonist in the thick of the action. He is both a scholar and adventurer. His presence looms large as he treads through the pages. In fact, it will come as somewhat of a surprise if this character and the books chronicling his exploits do not someday appear as the basis for cinematic productions.
However, since those cinematic efforts are not yet in evidence, we must content ourselves with reading the written word. And this written word is produced with such skill and craft that you find yourself living the story quite vividly in your imagination while flying through the pages. There are few writers who can create this virtual reality experience from their prose, and Mr. Murphy is one of that rare breed.
As you enter this experience you will find George Kodiak holding forth on the ancient Indian mounds found abundantly in the United States. However, he goes many steps further by beginning to educate us about some of the inexplicably strange anomalies associated with them. This investigation ends up taking us to the depths of the mysterious swamps in Louisiana and Mississippi.
Here in the swamps we begin to learn about some of the seemingly fantastic animals that "hide from man." Some are simply extraordinary examples of their species that have grown to prodigious size because of their isolation, while others are seen so seldom that they are not yet officially catalogued. As most students of cryptozoology are aware, both categories present challenges, but the latter is the most difficult to address.
In our modern day society the general capacity for open minded and inquiring thought into new discoveries is somewhere in the stone age, especially in the fields of archaeology and zoology. These sciences adopt a stance that what they currently accept as known comprises indisputable fact, and they will not change their views, even in the light of new evidence. It takes years for them to move from skepticism about new discoveries to acceptance. Unfortunately, in that time, many important archaeological discoveries are lost and some rare animals become extinct. In the case of relict members of certain species that are beginning to reassert themselves, the more traditionally minded "scholars" in these fields will only acquiesce to their existence, it seems, if one of these rare animals bites them on the behind. Even then, they would doubt their own experience since it does not jive with the text in print they are using.
And this, my friends, is where skilled writers and researchers like Lee Murphy shine. He takes the difficult to understand, wraps it in an adventure story that is impossible to put down, and leaves the reader excited, entertained, and wanting more. Though the reader may not realize it, their level of understanding and ability to think globally about the subject matter has received a significant boost.
In this engaging story we follow George Kodiak as he encounters not only the storied Honey Island Monster, but also human enemies, and voodoo practitioners. You find yourself wondering if Kodiak will ever get out alive and whether or not he will be able to help the innocents under attack. As the casualties mount, and the destruction proceeds you find yourself horrified, enthralled, and entertained all at the same time. This is a rare combination in a book and is hard to describe in a review. Perhaps the best thing one can say is that you owe it to yourself to read this book and enjoy this titillating adventure.
And just in case you are wondering how Lee Murphy came up with such a multifaceted and interesting character as George Kodiak, you need look no further than Mr. Murphy himself. Lee Murphy is George Kodiak in the flesh. Let's hope we soon see more of his engrossing books and that they are soon the subject of epic adventure on the silver screen.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Dark Journey!!!!!, June 30, 2007
This review is from: Heretofore: Unknown (Paperback)
Lee Murphy has given us the third and darker insallment of the kodiak series. Heretofore: Unknown introduces the reader to the Honey Island Swamp Monster and mixes in a voodoo element that takes you on a heartpounding page turning adventure. The descriptions of the swamp, its surrounding areas and the locals are so well written it gives you a great picture what it's like in the swamps of Louisiana and what creatures known and unknown live there.
The voodoo element is a creepy addition that gives you two great stories in one book. I suggest reading the first two books "Where Legends Roam" and "Naitaka" to introduce you to George Kodiak from the begining of this great series.
I enjoyed all three books and have to say they get better with each story, this one being my favorite so far. The last line of the back cover says it all..........Some things are meant to remain unknown!
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Geoge Kodiak chases another hoo-doo down!, May 4, 2008
This review is from: Heretofore: Unknown (Paperback)
I can only compare Lee's latest cryptonovel to a roller coaster ride of pure horror, driven with the help of my hero, George Kodiak, a Korean war veteran who is even older than I am, but with a great deal more stamina to fight these fearsome creatures. I can only hope that Lee won't be so slothful in getting his next novel out, although this one will be a hard act to follow, for sure. Everyone assumed (almost) that this loathesome creature was either an ill-tempered Bigfoot or Godzilla on crack, or a combination thereof, but he's worse than either, and for those who don't know, just wait for the surprise!
Now as for you, Lee, don't rest on your laurels by being slothful. Rather, get busy on your next cryptothriller.
Has anyone seen Lee's magnificent artistic talent? Go to his web site and get a breathtaking surprise. The painting on the cover looks like Mondrian's "Red Tree", for one. And many thanks, Lee, for mentioning me in your acknowledgments for badgering you for several years not to be so slothful!
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