Reflections : Book One of The Erebus Equilibrium [CD-ROM]

Neil C. Cladingboel (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 15, 2000

Suffering a devastating childhood loss, Jonathan Edward Malone becomes withdrawn and despaired, blaming himself for the tragedies which have befallen his family.

Twenty years later, the discovery of a hidden message on the back of an antique looking-glass plummets Jonathan into a subconscious adventure of mystery, betrayal, revelation and intrigue as he desperately searches for a solution to the riddle of the glass. A quest that will test all his beliefs as he battles his own inner demons and struggles to defeat a stronger, ancient malevolence, restore the celestial equilibrium and undo the tragic events of his past.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

I first conceived of my version of Erebus and my hero, Jonathan Edward Malone, about twenty years ago. I have always had a fascination with mirrors and have long pondered over the possibilities that they could do more than reflect our images.

I undertook the creation of this simple good-versus-evil story largely as a challenge to myself and with the hope that others may enjoy my hero's adventures. For anyone who shares the mystery and believes the myths about mirrors, which have survived over many centuries, then this story is for you.

Product Details

• CD-ROM: 138 pages
• Publisher: VirtualBookworm.com Publishing Inc. (November 15, 2000)
• ISBN-10: 0970368283
• ISBN-13: 978-0970368287
• Product Dimensions: 5.7 x 4.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,530,282 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Born in the United Kingdom, Neil Cladingboel moved to Australia with his family in 1961, spending his early years in Woomera, the heart of the Australian Outback, before settling in Melbourne where he completed his schooling.

After an extensive background in Catering and Hospitality, which took him around the country, Neil embarked on a new career in Real Estate and Land Marketing. Having dabbled with creative writing and contemporary poetry for many years, publishing Reflections, book one of The Erebus Equilibrium series, in November 2000, was the realization of a life-long dream.

Neil has since published The Anvil Amulet and Wraith Tide, books two and three of the Erebus series, Tale Spin, a collection of short fiction, and the short stories, Death Mask, Weatherwood, Ghost of Elysium and Anomaly. The first three books of the Erebus series were recently reprinted in a new omnibus edition. In 2005, Neil published Bortag's Curse, a companion novel to the series.

Neil is a member of the Australian Horror Writers Association, founder of Equilibrium Books, and editor of FlashSpec Anthology. He has also contributed stories, articles and reviews to numerous web sites and e-zines, most notably at SFFWorld.com. He currently resides south of Perth, Western Australia, where he is working on a new Erebus novel, Beloved Sons.

www.erebus.com.au

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Mirror! Mirror!, June 11, 2002

By 

The KitchenSink Journal - See all my reviews

This review is from: Reflections : Book One of the Erebus Equilibrium (Mass Market Paperback)

You'll probably never look again in a mirror for a long long time after reading this dark tale of mystery and betrayal. Neil Cladingboel's REFLECTIONS is a stimulating tale of the otherside of the mirror, the otherside of death. The main character, Jonathan Edward Malone, has a scarry encounter when he is young with the forces behind the mirror. 20 years later he again encounters these forces and this time he becomes the principle player as he tries to unlock the secret of a mysterious riddle written on the back of an old family looking glass. This is a dark tale, not for the faint-hearted mind you. It's an intriguing tale none the less.

4.0 out of 5 stars What You See is What Gets You!, December 24, 2000

By 

"ionadh" (Texas, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Reflections : Book One of The Erebus Equilibrium (CD-ROM)

My biggest complaint about Neil Cladingboel's "Reflections" is that it is too short---I wanted to spend more time with these characters, sharing their adventures and facing their perils. His central character, Jonathan Malone, survives a hideous personal tragedy as a young boy, then matures to face the shocking cause of that tragedy---a timeless battle of Good versus Evil is being waged, and he has been chosen by one side to combat the other. The battleground of choice is a dream-state, reached through seemingly common mirrors---and one of his major foes is none other than a hated childhood bully! Malone's nightmares, triggered years after he had mostly managed to put his tortured youth behind him, are actual transcripts of his weird quest into the other-realm, as he struggles to discover his true purpose in this life, and the next! I wish the story had taken longer to unfold, and certainly the family members, including Jonathan's wife, could have played more active roles in his epic struggle; but these are minor quibbles. "Reflections" taps into our anxieties and our obsessions, with ourselves, our mortality, and our frustrating imperfections, and manages to push a compelling story along, with a charming and sympathetic hero, strangely appealing villains, and lively spins on life, death, God, nature, and man---all seen, quite literally, through the novel and inventive use of mirrors, which play a number of inventive roles in the story, appearing by turns as looking-glasses, barriers, and escape hatches. You may not want to stare too closely into your own mirror, the next time you groom yourself, for fear of encountering one of Cladingboel's characters---but you probably won't mind that too much, after you've enjoyed this gripping, supernatural adventure!

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great First Effort!, December 14, 2000

By 

TLC (Perth, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Reflections : Book One of The Erebus Equilibrium (CD-ROM)

Not usually a fan of fantasy type stories, I have to admit that I thoroughly enjoyed the first part of The Erebus Equilibrium! Neil Cladingboel shows a lot of promise with this, his first major publication. If you like reading something a little different and something that will leave a lasting memory, especially whenever you look into a mirror, then why not give Reflections a try? You won't be disappointed. For me, I can't wait for Book Two!