Unholy Quest [Paperback]

John Enright (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 15, 2004

Thor Johnson makes a profession of fighting in other people's wars. So his new assignment, training guard dogs on a Caribbean island, sounds downright relaxing. But it's not relaxing for long. The island is in the grip of a religious cult that aims to sweep the world. The cults's prophet upholds a very old-fashioned family ideal: one husband, many wives. But instead of being one big happy family, the cult is a web of jealous intrigue which soon entangles Thor. Even more entangling is a mysterious dancer. She follows Thor to the island, and soon men are fighting over who will possess her. Thor must go to war once again, battling for his life, and struggling to understand what is happening to his own soul.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Trouble In Paradise. . .

He spoke through clenched teeth. "I think you make friends too easily. I think you make friends like a whore."

She stopped. The blood drained from her face.

Her eyes flashed fire.

She pivoted, turning her back on him, and began to walk slowly away.

He put his left hand over his mouth.

He pulled the hand away again. "Wait!" he shouted. "Tell me your name!"

She did not turn. She kept walking toward the road, across the field.

He stepped forward, reached to the bar at the top of the fence, and quietly pulled himself up. He carefully straddled the top, changed grips, and lowered himself to the ground on the other side.

She had not turned around, and had not gained much ground. He sprinted after her.

As he came up on her, she at last heard him and began to turn.

He grabbed her wrist. "Tell me your name," he repeated, panting.

She swung her other hand around toward his face. He caught it, too, by the wrist.

She brought up a knee toward his groin. He blocked it easily with his own knee, then he hooked a foot behind her legs and tripped her over it, dropping her to the ground.

He sat astraddle her, still holding her wrists. "Your name," he said.

About the Author

John Enright is also the author of Starbound and Other Poems. He lives in Chicago.

Product Details

• Paperback: 327 pages
• Publisher: Lulu.com (June 15, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1411608429
• ISBN-13: 978-1411608429
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,934,155 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Polygamy Paradox, August 17, 2004

By 

Don Parrish (IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Unholy Quest (Paperback)

I recommend this novel. It is a real page turner. I was taken by the complex plot, colorful characters and a very clean narrative style with some clever turns of phrase reflecting John's wry humor. The novel is part thriller, part mystery, part love story, and part analysis of a religious cult. There are a lot of fresh insights on the interplay between the sexes and the psychology of a cult leader. What powers the novel is the plot, the action, and the drive to figure out the motivation of the lead characters. I laughed out loud at some of the machinations of the cult leader. "Unholy Quest" was entertaining and educational. I look forward to seeing the movie and to reading Mr. Enright's next novel!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great character psychology, September 4, 2004

By 

Michael Newberry - See all my reviews

This review is from: Unholy Quest (Paperback)

I had a delightful few evenings reading Unholy Quest. It was brilliant. At no moment did I know what was coming, and yet, it was very exciting to read on. The style was fascinating: subtle, humorous, very understated (from an Objectivist background), and with a fantastic flow...I didn't feel like it was like another book I have read...I guess that is because it is an Enright.

The psychology of the characters was great...Thor and Alma grow through a strange kind of grasping, they don't become beautiful overnight, they evolve subtly. I also liked the setting of an anarchy state! I think it would make a fun movie. Catherine Zeta-Jones for Alma?!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Shakespeare. Ayn Rand. John Enright., May 2, 2006

By 

Nitin Bhojraj (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Unholy Quest (Paperback)

WARNING: There may be some spoilers in this critique.

All authors have heard the saying a thousand times: Write what you know. In the case of John Enright's, Unholy Quest, I hope to God that the old adage isn't always true.

But then again, perhaps it is. Enright may not have personally experienced secret male dominated polygamist violent Mormon religious sects, but if there is something that he does know, it's good literature. As a fan/student of the literary works of William Shakespeare, and Ayn Rand, Enright has managed to combine qualities of both while developing a style all his own.

Shakespeare's prologues summed up five acts within 10 lines. In that fashion, Enright sums up the entire 326 pages within the first chapter. In contrast though, the initial chapter doesn't provide an outline, but rather it symbolizes the rest of the story. The beginning of our mental journey into Enright's mixed-up world begins on Chicago's own Michigan Avenue; an area that every Chicagoan, and Chicago tourist, is familiar with. To both tourist and local, Michigan Avenue represents some form of excursion, or getaway. In that same sense, the initial events on "the island" make it seem like a place of excursion that we would all love to visit on a vacation. Subsequently, the initial chapter takes a turn as the characters visit Greektown-a place that denotes mystery and exoticism. After all, it's only twenty or so pages later that the mysteries of the island present themselves. Once those mysteries are apparent, the plot only thickens by the sexual relations among the various characters...just as in the first chapter, the Greektown situation only gets thicker as Alma slowly dances for the men in the room. Just as Alma introduces the element of sex into the story, the first chapter culminates with Thor using his brains/aggression to solve his conflict, and exact revenge on George for wronging him in the past. The connection to the rest of story is obvious. The Shakespearean connections are strong with Enright. However, it's the parallels between another author's works and Enright that overshadow his work.

Throughout the story, the protagonist; Thor Johnson, comes straight out of an Ayn Rand novel. The fiction of Rand focosued on the "Randian hero, a man whose ability and independence causes conflict with society, who nevertheless perseveres to achieve his goals" (wikipedia), which Thor represents from beginning to end. His name itself represents the Randian hero. Born Thomas Johnson, Thor admits that he changed it because, "[He] was running away from home..[He] figured that if [he] changed [his] name a little it would be harder for my parents to track [him] down and stop [him]" (208). In addition, he "didn't want to be a farmer...and felt like [he] had something to prove to [himself]" (209). By rebelling against his parents, he initiates his conflict with what he knows as society, and Thor furthers himself to achieve his goals. Unfortunately for Thor, but fortunately for the various victims in the book, Thor's goals change from proving something to himself to revenge against those who framed him.

Combining aspects of Shakespeare and Rand perhaps was not a large challenge for Enright. More than likely, he did it unintentionally. Any guitarist who grew up listening to Jimi Hendrix will more than likely incorporate some heavy solos into his works. Chances are, Enright's work shows influences of more than two authors. Those complexities are up to each of you to discover as you read Unholy Quest for yourself.

My Ideal Cast for The Unholy Quest Movie:

Thor-either James Remar 30 years ago, or Eric Bana
Trever McKeon-Jeremy Irons
Arthur Northcut-Udo Kier
Jonah Whitlock- John Glover with grayer hair
Daniel Sears-Bill Murray
Alma-Penelope Cruz
Wendy- Heather Christensen
Gigi-Jonathan Frakes, if he gained 30 pounds

My only complaint with this novel is that Enright mentions the Soviet Union. If it weren't for that, the story could have taken place 40 years in the future, as well as 40 years in the past.