Voice of Conscience

One of the most important historical influences on literature is the classic Shakespearean Tragedy. Shakespeare's tragic heroes will be men of status and the misfortunes that transpire will be unexpected and extremely disastrous. The hero will suddenly fall from high status, honor, or happiness. We feel sympathy at the depths to which the hero is suddenly plummeted. As a result, the tragedy will be enormous. Such great suffering and misfortune will affect those he most cherishes. The principal sources of tragic emotions, especially pity, are essential ingredients in the tragedy.

In Voice of Conscience, author Behcet Kaya implements the attributes of a Shakespearean Tragedy to create a modern day story of love, loss, retribution, and redemption. The protagonist, Ramzi Ozocomert Junior., is a young boy living in Atamkoy, Turkey, in 1962. In Ramzi’s culture, arranged marriages are often a part of their customs. Ramzi’s parents are confronted by a family who want to arrange a marriage between their son and Ramzi’s sister. Ramzi’s parents deny the request and allow their daughter to marry a man she truly loves. As the family prepares for their daughter’s wedding, Ramzi’s parents and sister are brutally murdered. Ramzi, fearing he will be murdered, is forced to flee his home.

Ramzi embarks on a journey where he lives in emotional isolation relying on instincts and his upbringing to survive. As he becomes an adult, he develops a strong work ethic and grand career ambitions while at the same time being haunted by the memories of the brutal slaying of his family. While in England, he falls in love with Megan, a young American who is the daughter of wealthy and powerful business man. As Ramzi becomes involved with British High Society, and when he goes to America to become a successful business man, he embraces a new culture and values. Despite his new life and loving family, he is haunted by his family’s death and overwhelming guilt for not avenging those who destroyed his childhood.

Within the story, such themes as honor, love, vengeance, obsession, and overwhelming guilt are predominant. Readers will gain insight into a culture and their beliefs while at the same time revealing human qualities that we all share. The blur between justice and revenge is an important theme.

Voice of Conscience is a compelling drama with the author incorporating the traits of a Tragedy very successfully. Readers will empathize with Ramzi’s trials and tribulations. It is highly recommended to readers who enjoy compelling stories of human frailty.

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Paperback: 356 pages
Publisher: Outskirts Press (June 26, 2007)
ISBN-10: 1432706284
ISBN-13: 978-1432706289
Available: Amazon.com and BN.com

Thinking Is Authorized! Refreshing Philosophical Perspectives For Real Spiritual Growth

In today’s world, religious debate and scientific exploration are hot button issues for many people. In his book, Thinking Is Authorized!, author Nash Khatri engages readers in a philosophical and reflective discussion on how one obtains real spiritual growth and development.

Khatri explores how we perceive our religious beliefs and explains that real spiritual growth is an ongoing process rather than a point to be reached. Khatri proposes that to achieve real and meaningful spiritual growth, we must open our minds and imaginations to the idea that there is more to time and space than what we can comprehend through our five senses. Using a cognitive approach, he presents a thought-provoking discussion on how to stretch our imaginations to gain a better understanding of how we define ourselves, our beliefs, and rationalize life’s great mysteries. Khatri discusses how we are not only connected to each other, but to the universe and everything it holds. He explains how life is a continuous series of inter-linked events and how we perceive and react to the events determines our future. Regardless of how minor our actions may seem, everything directly or indirectly affects our future. Spiritual development requires configuring our thought processes to accept that discovering truths beyond what we can currently grasp does not diminish one’s faith in a Higher Power.

Khatri makes it clear that his book is not anti religious. It is designed to seek self-awareness and expand our knowledge by broadening our minds to go beyond our senses. For instance, Khatri discusses the notion of lack-of-time-and-space and used it to support his perspectives on the soul, death, afterlife, and God. For a 100 page book, it is filled with informative and philosophical concepts about our thought processes and perceptions, and how overcoming our fears of the unknown are a necessary step to spiritual evolvement. A key message of the book: It is not necessary to accept blind faith as the only way to explain what we have yet to understand. As Khatri states, “Real spiritual advancement requires a broad frame of mind and is conducive to a more tolerant, peaceful, and non-judgmental attitude that is inclined toward uniting people.”

The book is a spiritual journey that imparts cognitive development skills. Spiritual maturity is a journey of raising questions, not finding the easiest answers to life’s unknowns. Another core message imparted: Questioning religious beliefs and ideas will enhance one’s spiritual journey. Because the book is not designed to reveal opinions as absolute truths, some may disagree with the ideas and concepts presented. The book is more centered on what its title states: Thinking is Authorized!

Thinking Is Authorized! is highly recommended to those who enjoy philosophical observations as a method of rational self-reflection, spiritual growth, and religious contemplation.

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Paperback: 112 pages
Publisher: AuthorHouse (September 7, 2007)
ISBN-10: 1434321584
ISBN-13: 978-1434321589
Available: Amazon.com and BN.com

Breaking A Sunbeam

In his thriller, Breaking a Sunbeam, author Geoff Hunter takes readers into a sinister and violent world where survival instincts are put to the test. The protagonist, Jake Winter, a happily married young man, becomes involved with three psychopaths by the name of Juel, Carl, and Roy. Jake’s beloved wife Kay is abducted by the three criminals when she stumbles across one of their violent escapades. To ensure his wife’s safe return, Jake is forced to join the gain and participate in their deadly activities. He becomes caught up in a dark and cruel world of violence, vengeance, murder, and unforgiving brutality. Jake participates in heinous acts that he never dreamed he would ever engage in. Kay, a prisoner in the ominous underground basement of her captors’ home, finds herself facing Roy, an insane and brutal serial killer carrying out his innermost violent desires of torture and killing young women.

Breaking a Sunbeam explores a number of dark themes. Juel, a psychologically damaged woman, exacts revenge on those who have committed terrible acts of abuse upon her as a child. To Juel, wiping her past clean is a form of self-healing. Jake finds himself in a moral and ethical dilemma; sympathizing with Juel as he takes part in her quest for revenge. As well, Kay finds herself in a situation where she must engage in violence to survive Roy’s demented obsessions.

The story is a fast paced thriller with many twists and turns that will captures readers’ attention from start to finish. Readers will empathize with Jake’s and Kay’s predicaments as well as the compelling bond that develops between Jake and Juel. Juel and Carl have similar qualities to the two leading characters from the movie, “Natural Born Killers.”

Settings were well described although scenes about the location of the town are a bit vague. The insight into the mind of serial killer Roy’s was rather ambiguous. His obsession with darkness and medieval torture could have been expanded to give a better understanding of how he developed his thirst for torture and killing.

Breaking a Sunbeam delivers fast paced and action packed elements that make for a good thriller. It is highly recommended to fans of the Thriller Genre.

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Paperback: 390 pages
Publisher: Trafford Publishing (February 27, 2007)
ISBN-10: 1425107451
ISBN-13: 978-1425107451
Available: Amazon.com and BN.com