Customer Reviews

Labyrinth of Chaos

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

In LABYRINTH OF CHAOS, Brian Wallace dramatically fulfills his self-proclaimed goal to "demonstrate through a time, place, and specific characters that life is something that is filled with intrigue, mystery, and importance regardless of who you are and what you do." Indeed, Wallace's text becomes metafiction as he strikes a balance between autobiography, history, neurology, metaphysics, and the art of writing about writing. Successfully titillating and enriching the reader's senses, the narrator's naiveté, genuine goodwill and flair for encountering the unexpected brings the reader a sense of adventure and immediacy as the protagonist explores both his interior and exterior worlds.

Alan Agrippa has inherited sufficient funds to support his exploration of Europe. Shortly after arriving in England he meets Ronia Vintras, an exchange student taking classes in London. Together and separately, they explore the geographical, philosophical, and sexual landscapes of our time. Alan seeks out and discovers metaphysical truths in the European landscapes, expanding to include such things as Junian individuation, quantum physics, druids, and tree fairies. Each new encounter and exploration accompanies joy in the experience and complex philosophical musings designed to make the reader the think. While not a difficult read, LABYRINTH OF CHAOS does make the reader work, reevaluating long held beliefs regarding morals, philosophy and religion.

LABYRINTH OF CHAOS becomes increasingly intriguing as the pursuit of the duality of ancient and modern thinking plays out in a text that is uniquely approachable. This fictionalized novel summarizes some of our strongest philosophical minds from Plato to Fritjof Capra, yet making their theories immediate and approachable. Further, Wallace's flexible, open mind reflects the very tenets of New Physics. In addition, Wallace brings a heavy dose of Romanticism to his text; that is, a deep connection to nature shared by such great poets as Wordworth and Coolridge. With a striking balance between the scientific and the philosophical, the mundane and the metaphysical, this remarkable author charts a course to the mystic's understanding of the interconnectivity of all things. Overriding the deep philosophical reflections is a strong sense of adventure, and an overwhelming need to experience and delight in the happenstance of life. Very highly recommended.

Bright Blessings, Weaver

This is truly a unique novel, if ever there was one. Trying to describe it is a bit of a perplexing task. Probably the best association I can make with it would be Jean Paul Sartre's "Nausea." Sartre's novel comes to mind in that it is like a snapshot of a persona's life, as is "Labyrinth of Chaos."

In LOC it is a snapshot of a young man named Alan Agrippa. Having obtained a substantial inheritance from his late beloved uncle, Agrippa decides to spend the $$ travelling over Europe on a soul-searching expedition. Over the course of the story we follow him as he travels throughout Great Britain, Scotland, Wales and Ireland.

Along the way, he meets and strikes up conversations with all sorts of people from all walks of life. Some of these people include a priest, an adolescent with an active libido, a theoretical physicist, a couple voodoo practitioners, several musicians and a beautiful & mysterious French girl who captures his heart. With these diverse personages he engages in conversations that include the topics of anthropology, philosophy, quantum mechanics, religion, history, the occult, pornography, literature, pyschedelics / drug use and much more. The book is filled with references to aspects from all sectors of life.

Technically, the book is far from perfect. Wallace does a great job of describing various locales and landscapes, but much of the dialogue is wooden and somewhat "stilted." On the upside, there is some delicious names-dropping and erudite explanations of the historical backdrops of different locations presented in the book. There is also a nice "quest" motif in the narrative in which Wallace forms a nexus between his story and Thomas Mann's "The Magic Mountain." In fact, I would encourage people to read Mann prior to reading this work; Wallace may make a little bit more sense that way. {Of course, I would also recommend people to read Mann whether they read the present book or not, but that's a different story...}

This is a very good book for anyone who wants something "modern" and perhaps a little bit off-the-wall. Be advised that some of it is [adults only] rated, tho. Not that that's a bad thing; just that it may not appeal to everyone.

In Labyrinth of Chaos, Brian Wallace has recreated a classic literary form in a postmodern narrative of a young man's search for meaning. Wallace's insights are woven into a seamless tapestry of profound historical reflections, philosophical questions and cultural edification.

The beauty and effectiveness of this novel is it's uncompromising representation of positive postmodern values, as if all the resistances to the accommodation of those values did not exist. This in no way fails to address those resistances. Rather, it portrays vigorous health of body and mind as a standing, totally positive refutation of them.

Wallace's 'epic hero,' Alan Agrippa, moves progressively forward into ever greater mystical awareness through purposeful investigation of the geo-history of our mystical European heritage, made possible by the simple, fortuitous expedient of temporary liberation from the constraints of financial responsibility.

In his journey, Alan pursues and finds experiences, including the experience of romantic love, that coalesce into scintillating, multi-cultural panoramas of entheogenically stimulated mystical effulgence, articulated within a context that is strikingly realistic, yet at the same time teeming with aesthetic delight by virtue of his inner creative genius. Alan represents for all an opportunity that many may experience vicariously through his journey into the deepest mysteries of life and love.

Labyrinth of Chaos left me highly stimulated and totally free to contemplate the deep structural layers of meaning laid bare by Wallace's insights combined with scholarly commentary that tackles, with consummate skill incorporating the most advanced notions of purposeful genetic evolution and quantum mechanics, the difficult problem of describing mystical experience.

Bravo, Brian Wallace.

Having come to this book through reading some of the author's own reviews here on Amazon.com, I had high hopes for an intelligent read that would cut deep beyond the shallow flash that many of today's contemporary authors offer.

What did I get? No shallow flash, but shallow wankery instead. This is the sort of novel many lonely boys begin to scrawl in their private notebooks sometime in high school, imagining the journey before they've actually set out upon it. Convinced that every word is magical, inspired - usually these notebooks end up boxed away, an embarassing reminder of the author's overly idealistic, underly talented youth. I should know. I had plenty of those notebooks myself. The difference is, I knew better than to try to pass my garbage off as the "mysticism" I once thought it was. Sadly, this author didn't use such good judgement.

Labyrinth of Chaos (the title should have tipped me off) is a plotless, meandering book. This works sometimes. For Celine. For Henry Miller. For William Burroughs. Not for Brian Wallace. The reader follows egomaniac Alan Agrippa through flatly-told tales of his life's adventures. Likely a thinly veiled soapbox for the author's own borrowed philosophies, the prose rapidly becomes as tedious as the guy in your college dorm who droned on and on about these same notions. You remember him - he wore a lot of black, listened to Dead Can Dance and never really gave up Dungeons and Dragons.

I have a bad habit. Once I begin reading a book, I force myself to finish it no matter how terrible it is. After Labyrinth of Chaos I may just have to quit cold turkey.

As I began to read the pages of this book, I immediately began to draw comparisons to Umberto Eco, due to the intellectual flow of the prose. I have much respect for Umberto's work, and Brian's hit me with the same feeling. The only knock I would give to it is the excessive use of "ten cent" words. I have an extensive vocabulary, and Brian had me reaching for the dictionary with every chapter. Purpose and flow are intriguing, and it is a satisfying read. The subject matter is approached very well. This is definately a book that begs to be evaluated by each reader. I would say it is a challenge to complete, one worth noting.

Very interesting read, if you have ever read anything by Watts and gang you would see where Alan is coming from. Would highly recommend this book to friends brings out a real prospective on not letting thinking get in your way, but using it to see just how much fun the adventure of life can be. Looking forward to reading Brain's next piece of work.

I really enjoyed reading this book it opened up some old feeling and took me back in time,

I was feeling the universe and all its wonders as I read Alan's journeys

In searching he finds his soul mate some very talented musicians

And his quest for the meaning of life, its enchanting I can almost see the castles in my mind

Traveling the roads along with him what an adventure it is.

I'm looking forward to Brian Wallace next book

Brian Wallace has produced his first novel, and what a head rush! For anyone who has ever questioned their purpose of life or the mysteries of the universe, Labyrinth of Chaos is the book for you.

Travel with Allan Agrippa through the British Isles as he seeks the answers to life's mysteries. From priest and scholar to an alluring woman of voodoo, Allen encounters many people and many challenges to the human psyche, including true love, as he explores nature to the very core.

Labyrinth of Chaos is one of the most thought-provoking novels I have come across in a long time. Hitting on every emotion you have; for under twenty bucks, this is one journey you can afford to take. You may not want to return... I know I didn't! I give this wonderful book of fiction my highest recommendation.

After reading lots of different fiction and non fiction, Labyrinth of Chaos was a very refreshing journey for the spirit and the mind. Brian Wallace's creative genius will make your soul rejuvenate.

Alan Agrippa - I mean Brian Wallace - has effectively created a story that sears the layers of ignorance right off the cerebral lobes of mainstream society, exposes the real meat of issues such as enlightenment and gnosis, and casts the refuse to the dogs.

Revealing the true essence of the psychedelic experience and what its meaning is to modern thought and working one's way through the hypocrisies and idiocies of modern society, I found myself wishing that I was Alan Agrippa.

Rarely in today's book market is such an adventurous and worthwhile story dared to be told.

Go a few steps beyond your usual understanding and enjoy the enriching experience.

I highly recommend this read!