What does it all mean?
As a psychologist and parapsychologist, Writing
The SHIVA Syndrome (BURST/Champagne Books) was a challenge. After education and personal experience with the so-called "paranormal," I was driven by an urge to bring parapsychology to the public integrating real, research based PSI within a multigenre story.
Reviews have been surprisingly good. The puzzle is how each is seeing it in different ways, with varying levels of interpretation. I am very interested in receiving other opinions or analyses about what the story means to them.
REVIEWS
In
The SHIVA Syndrome, the author (a clinical psychologist) skillfully and ingeniously interweaves altered states of consciousness and parapsychology with genetics, paleontology, mythology, and religion to produce a frightening, brisk, and film-worthy story building to an intense climax. The story challenges conventional notions of reality, ultimately concluding that human consciousness extends well beyond the flesh–and offers enormous potential for both creation and destruction.
Dr. Stanley Krippner, internationally known psychologist, parapsychologist, and author.
What a fascinating book! It’ll magnetize you just like the penetrating gaze of Hindu’s god Shiva and his animal companion on the book’s cover, although the relation of this god of destruction and creation to the book’s topic is symbolic.
The SHIVA Syndrome is a sci-fi thriller, a mystery that unfolds on a background of myths and religions, biotechnology, military power, politics, and paranormal human abilities…The descriptions of events and characters are very vivid and engaging. Having the right amount of adventure and romance, this crisscrossing genre tale isn’t just a good read, but may also look great on a big screen.
Portland Book Review 4.5 stars.
Lots of action, intriguing concepts, and examinations of belief systems and the greatest opportunity in human history to reshape the world: that’s the essence of a powerful saga in
The Shiva Syndrome, which is not only highly recommended ‘as is’, but would translate well to the screen. It’s very highly recommended, indeed; especially for thriller and sci-fi readers who have become deluged with too much predictability and who seek cutting-edge action, believable protagonists, and action that is solidly intense throughout.
Midwest Book Review
The SHIVA Syndrome. written by Alan Joshua, is one of those books that managed to completely surprise me in the positive manner – a combination of thriller and mystery delivered in non-typical way will grab your attention and will not loosen its grip to the very last page…Alan Joshua with his debut succeeds in making a well-made novel, creating an untypical story and the intriguing world, combining SF, mystery and thriller motives. The author makes it impossible for the reader to guess in which direction the story will continue while the end of novel is nearing. Therefore, with The SHIVA Syndrome, Alan Joshua managed to overcome my expectations, kept me intrigued until the very end…I can heartily recommend his title to the general audience.
Denis Vukosav Amazon Top 100 Reviewer
Any attempt to describe the book in a single statement is difficult, but the book mixes uncommon palettes and manages a masterpiece with it. If The Andromeda Strain was analyzed in four dimensions,
The SHIVA Syndrome might be the result. Such a base comparison is an overall disservice to the unique nature of this book, however. It is a surprising, suspenseful, and utterly superb read from start to end, facing modern mindsets with past, present, and future thinking all at once.
Self-Publishing Review. ★★★★★
The Shiva Syndrome is a thrilling read, and I could definitely imagine this in the theater. The author is skilled at putting the pictures in your head without confusion. You find yourself connecting with his characters so that you are vested in their outcome. Would love to see a part two! Highly recommended.
New Consciousness Review 5 stars
The SHIVA Syndrome by Alan Joshua is a treat for the fans of the techno thriller as well as fans of the paranormal…The novel is a complex and multi-layered work based on science, the paranormal, religion including native American shamanism, Roman Catholicism, and Santeria. If you like the novels of Lincoln Child, you will love this one. 5 stars
Marvin Smith (Amazon)
“
The SHIVA Syndrome” is full of action and therefore a fast pace but sometimes there are arguments among various characters that can be long with the result that the pace slows down considerably. Some moments can be heavy because the topics discussed are sometimes really complex, on the other hand they’re used to explain them a bit and contribute to the characters’ development. In my opinion, overall Alan Joshua maintains a good balance between action and dialogue.
NetMassimo Blog (Massimo Luciani, Italy)
The SHIVA Syndrome was a phenomenal read but it is not a quick read. Many things develop every chapter and a lot of ideas and theories are constantly suggested involving complex thinking and understanding. The story was amazingly developed to keep the reader attentive and on their toes constantly and always guessing where the plot is heading up until the very end. Highly recommended for anyone interested in science fiction, mysteries and thrillers – you won’t be disappointed!
Littlepinkcrayon Book Review 5 stars
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