Customer Reviews

The Oculi Incident

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Just when you think you know what Schilken will do next, he surprises you. I really enjoyed the way the characters develop, and the excitement that builds as events occur. One of my favorites is October 17, 2002! I'm looking forward to reading Rege Schilken's upcoming books!

Right off I am going to say this is an outstanding, exceptional work; from the first page to the last I was totally consumed by the read. In the beginning we are confronted by the mysterious disappearance of a very lovable Priest, what could have happened to him and why? We are jetted off in the read and meet Police Officer Timothy Comstock and his soon to be wife Martie who will become major players in this story. Again moving forward in time we are taken to St. Lukes where something unusual is happening.
It seems a beautiful crucifix of Jesus seems to be shedding tears and the adventure begins as Priests, police officers and Scientists scramble to find out if this is a true miracle or an exceptional hoax.

The story darkens however when those who get too close to the investigation either end up dead, are terrified to the point of stopping their involvement, or are seriously injured. Is this a hoax or a real miracle from God? And why are so many people ending up dead? Great mystery element.

The author does an outstanding job of his character and story development, skillfully weaving and twisting events and characters until it is impossible to know if this is a real miracle or a hoax during the read. And so well hidden was a certain character's background, I never would have suspected they were behind the evil and killings at St. Lukes. The ending was absolutely heart- thrilling and spell bounding; I loved it. Was this a true miracle? You decide! What a read; one you do not want to miss. I highly recommend this book.

Reviewed by Constance Donaldson
Writer
Technical Writer
Professional Storyteller
Former Technical Writer for DDI (Developmental Dimensions International)
Author: "Butterfly Wing Cane," in <

It begins with the disappearance of a kindly old monk in Pennsylvania. Has he left the monastery to fulfill a covert life's ambition? Did he have a secret life unknown to his brothers in the monastery, or has foul play been involved in his departure?

Then the reader is taken back in time to the battle grounds of Vietnam where soldiers learn to live by a very different code of ethics than the one they learned in the Catholic school of their youth.

Finally, the action switches to the present and a tiny church in a working-class community some miles from the monastery, struggling to remain open despite growing financial burdens. Here a miracle takes place that may end the pastor's financial worries-but only if he can be sure that the miracle is genuine, and not the work of the devil.

When the life sized crucifix above the altar begins to shed tears during the weekly Benediction service, the parishioners, the news media and eventually the police become involved in the "miracle."

While, on one hand the Church officials, under the auspices of the Vatican appointed investigator are examining the Oculi Incident to determine if it is the work of God or of Satan, the pastor and his non-believing friends, police officer Tim Comstock and his wife Martie, are looking into the possibility that the phenomenon may be man-made and extremely dangerous.

This is not your ordinary page turner. Interwoven in the plot line of murders, suspects, twists and turns are some unique characters with surprisingly spiritual souls.

A good part of the enjoyment of this book is in the characters and how their faith interacts with their everyday lives. We're introduced to a world of normal good people-whether believers of not- who are facing circumstances that are neither good or normal.

With humor and a genuine caring for his characters, Schilken creates a page turner with heart. You find yourself racing to find out what comes next, but also saddened when you come to the end and realize that you must leave these quirky and very human characters behind.

Move over Dan Brown (DaVinci Code). This author has that same unique talent to create unexpected twists and turns all through this suspenseful, fun-to-read story! It keeps the reader on the edge of their seats from beginning to end. Great book ... should be made into a movie.

Religious thrillers have grabbed the attention of the reading public since Dan Brown's The DaVinci Code became a huge hit. Since, several books, some by new authors but many by established writers, have come onto the market, bringing tales of hidden manuscripts or miraculous events.

The Oculi Incident by Regis Schilken is one such book. The book begins with the disappearance of a monk from a monastery. Eventually, the investigation yields nothing and the monk is assumed to have simply given up his vows and retreated into the world. Seven years later, in the same town, at an old, run-down Catholic church, a crucifix is purported to be weeping from the oculi, a latin word for eye.

This creates a stir, first locally, then nationally. Pilgrims and tourists flock to the church, bringing donations with them, and the church coffers begin to overflow. While this may be good news for the parish priests (and for the diocese), the lead priest, Father Logue, has his doubts. He wants to take the crucifix down and examine it for evidence of foul play but is prevented by the diocese's bishop, who believes the weeping to be miraculous.

Yet, the bishop concedes that the crucifix may be examined, so long as it remains hanging and untouched. As technicians come in to scan it, and as others begin to take a closer look, mysterious things begin to happen: a priest from Rome is shot, a nun is murdered, and Father Logue is blackmailed into giving large weekly offerings to a "voice" who visits him in confession.

Logue eventually enlists the aid of a police officer, and as the officer investigates, he begins to learn startling facts that suggest all may not be as it seems with the weeping crucifix. As Officer Comstock gets closer and closer to the truth, trouble comes to a head. There is a shootout, a fall through the plaster ceiling in the church, and a wrap-up of the story. At the end, as those involved believe the weeping crucifix to be a hoax, something miraculous begins once again to happen, and they, and the reader, are left to ponder whether such things are truly miraculous or sad hoaxes.

This book is a good read for those interested in issues of faith and religion, or for those who like a good thriller on rainy days when you cannot go outside but desire to curl up with an interesting book.

This novel attempts to portray the ever-raging conflict between good and evil, between altruism and greed, through a religious setting. The story takes place in a Catholic Church. A cross is sent for renovation to a nearby monastery. Brother Anthony who is doing the renovation disappears suddenly without a trace. Nothing much is made of the mystery because it is not too uncommon for Fathers and Brothers to get bored of the monastery life and disappear to surface under a different name and lead the so-called 'normal' life. No one is beyond temptation.

7 years later, suddenly a 'miracle' starts taking place in the Church where the restored cross is installed. Tears start forming from the eyes of the statue of Jesus Christ. When investigation is attempted, deaths start taking place and threats are held out. The connection between the renovation of the cross (and the body of Jesus) and the present miracle is lost on the people because of the time gap.

Pastor Paul Logue's gut instinct keeps telling him that the few drops of water that fall from the eyes of the statue suspended in the old, Gothic Church are probably a diabolical human ruse or possibly a display of Lucifer himself. But for simple believers and to his Bishop, the word miracle arises in the mind and it spreads like a raging fire fanned by the media's unquenchable desire for sensationalism. The unique occurrences at his church quickly become national phenomena. Money pours into church coffers as droves of curiosity seekers, tourists, and religious believers visit Saint Martin's to glimpse the miracle cross and to leave behind extremely generous donations. The mystery is finally solved by the help of a policeman and his live-in partner, a school teacher. They are aided by an young woman in the police department and an intelligent technician working for the villain.

The author succeeds in conveying a few ideas through the characters of this interesting book. Firstly miracles do take place. But all apparent miracles are not necessarily real and thus need to be investigated thoroughly. The forces that are trying to bring about the miracle, human or otherwise will not keep quiet when the investigation is attempted and will try to thwart the same through threats, murder etc., It is not necessary for a human being to believe in Church to be good, and it is entirely possible for an evil person to be in the robes of religion, since normally suspicion doesn't point there.

The story is written well and till half of the book, the suspense of who could have done the killings is well maintained. Though the villains are identified fairly early in the book, the plot keeps unfolding nicely and a good climax is presented. The end is quite mysterious.

The physics behind the formation of the water drops is fairly simple and is well presented. To lay people, the science could indeed be mystifying and magical. I felt that graphic descriptions of love making are out of place in such a book. The story stands quite well without such descriptions. The characters are well developed and look plausible. The effects of war and violence combined with the innate greed could certainly make a man inhuman.

All in all, it is a good read.

Reviewed by Lisa Kisner for Reader Views (9/06)

When tears begin falling from an ancient crucifix during sermons in a church, the word miracle is heard throughout the nation. As visitors flock to the old church for a chance to experience the event, the pastor of the church, a police officer and his wife attempt to discover if these occurrences are truly a miracle or merely a hoax. As mysterious deaths and threats begin to accumulate around the crucifix, the race is on to solve the mystery before they too become victims. The author seamlessly travels from present day to the past to add more intrigue and suspense.

I found this book to be a great read from beginning to end. The author has obviously done his research and presents a well thought out, plausible story that keeps you on the edge of your seat until the end. Readers familiar with Pittsburgh and the surrounding area will delight in the familiar scenery and landmarks in the book. People who enjoy reading religious books or mysteries will find this book appealing as there is just the right balance of each in this suspenseful tale. One does not need religious education as the author does a fine job describing all aspects of the religious references. At times, the author appears to overstate the obvious, however it does not lessen the reader's enjoyment. Just when you think everything is resolved, the ending leaves the reader with more questions and wanting more. I, for one, will be thinking about "The Oculi Incident" for a while.

Book received free of charge.