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Season of the Serpent #1
Season of the Serpent
The Garden of Eden story is reimagined in this smart and satirical, contemporary fantasy ... The Wizard of Oz meets The Matrix ... a metaphysical thriller set in the last days of the Cold War.
The year is 1982. Paul Venturi is just an average, socially awkward college freshman hiding his extraterrestrial genesis in the closet, hoping to start a brand new life on campus. Unfortunately, his reemerging telepathy and the shadow of covert government surveillance make fitting in a daunting task. But when an enigmatic Serpent in the guise of a college stoner pressures him to smoke the forbidden weed, Paul is thrust into a mind-bending world of government cover-ups, Gnostic revelations, and dark conspiracies.
Catapulted over the rainbow, Paul lands in the Astral realm of Yin'Dru where competing factions of immortals are locked in a bitter cosmic stalemate waging their own secret Cold War over the destiny of the human race. A reluctant Paul is cast in the starring role of Adam - a higher sentient human groomed to become their celebrity-messiah. However, a sinister faction sees him as the perfect pawn to steer the United States and Soviet Union toward a nuclear Apocalypse.
Compelling and original, "Season of the Serpent" is a thought provoking, multi-layered mix of history, mythology, science fiction, and Synchronicity. (Book One of Two)
http://www.amazon.com/Season-Serpent-...
Book Two available: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FY8O6OE
The year is 1982. Paul Venturi is just an average, socially awkward college freshman hiding his extraterrestrial genesis in the closet, hoping to start a brand new life on campus. Unfortunately, his reemerging telepathy and the shadow of covert government surveillance make fitting in a daunting task. But when an enigmatic Serpent in the guise of a college stoner pressures him to smoke the forbidden weed, Paul is thrust into a mind-bending world of government cover-ups, Gnostic revelations, and dark conspiracies.
Catapulted over the rainbow, Paul lands in the Astral realm of Yin'Dru where competing factions of immortals are locked in a bitter cosmic stalemate waging their own secret Cold War over the destiny of the human race. A reluctant Paul is cast in the starring role of Adam - a higher sentient human groomed to become their celebrity-messiah. However, a sinister faction sees him as the perfect pawn to steer the United States and Soviet Union toward a nuclear Apocalypse.
Compelling and original, "Season of the Serpent" is a thought provoking, multi-layered mix of history, mythology, science fiction, and Synchronicity. (Book One of Two)
http://www.amazon.com/Season-Serpent-...
Book Two available: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FY8O6OE
- GenresFantasyScience Fiction
260 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2012
20 people are currently reading
180 people want to read
About the author
David Nova
4 books2 followersDavid Nova was born in Hawaii, went to school in Virginia, and has been an award winning freelance video editor in Washington DC for over 15 years. He has produced television programing and promotions for the National Geographic Channel and the Discovery Network. "Season of the Serpent" is David's first novel. For additional information visit: www.davidnova.com.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
August 5, 2012
The story itself is compelling enough: college student Paul Venturi is just trying to maintain some semblance of an average life. It seems to be working - he's friendly, and bright, and happy-enough. He copes well enough with the isolating, off-kilter experience of being an introvert in an extrovert's world. But following a series of increasingly compelling coincidences and one memorable incident with a joint-seducing serpent, Paul's reality shifts to accommodate the astral dimensions of Yin'Dru, and we are helplessly sucked along for the ride. With an unforgettable cast of otherworld-characters, his twisting journey exposes answers to our most elusive questions. The complexities of Paul's childhood and his extraordinary sensitivity become retroactive clues as he rediscovers his true connection to a multiverse of galactic revelations and multidimensional power struggles.
Intelligently written and expertly paced, Season of the Serpent is a true multidisciplinary feat. Infused throughout are Nova's intimate understandings of history, psychology, physiology, and the energetic fields that compose our own Matrix. Pick your passion, and it's there: Yahweh and the Elohim; quantum physics and flying saucers; the fragile nature of a currency not backed by precious metals; the Freemasons and the mysteries of the Roswell UFO crash site. I could go on and on. He takes those subjects and phenomena that interest, confuse, and frighten us the most and presents us with a rearranged interconnectedness that shocks us because it inherently makes sense.
Author David Nova doesn't mince words; he doesn't spare readers the full-blown realism that keeps us tethered to Paul's experience. There's no safety net here. From Pink Floyd's "The Great Gig in the Sky" to Van Halen's "Running with the Devil", Nova even provides the soundtrack to accompany each rise, fall, and hover: a nod to the original juxtaposition of Hollywood on rock that helped to incite this string of events to begin with.
This book makes me restless. I want to share, to compare notes and - truth be told - scramble to find others just like it. Not since The Feast of Love by Charles Baxter (the book, not the movie) have I been moved to this end, and it's driving me crazy not to have a rooftop right now.
The story is compelling and beautifully written. Its ending left me wanting more, and I'm really looking forward to the next book. Highly recommended!
Intelligently written and expertly paced, Season of the Serpent is a true multidisciplinary feat. Infused throughout are Nova's intimate understandings of history, psychology, physiology, and the energetic fields that compose our own Matrix. Pick your passion, and it's there: Yahweh and the Elohim; quantum physics and flying saucers; the fragile nature of a currency not backed by precious metals; the Freemasons and the mysteries of the Roswell UFO crash site. I could go on and on. He takes those subjects and phenomena that interest, confuse, and frighten us the most and presents us with a rearranged interconnectedness that shocks us because it inherently makes sense.
Author David Nova doesn't mince words; he doesn't spare readers the full-blown realism that keeps us tethered to Paul's experience. There's no safety net here. From Pink Floyd's "The Great Gig in the Sky" to Van Halen's "Running with the Devil", Nova even provides the soundtrack to accompany each rise, fall, and hover: a nod to the original juxtaposition of Hollywood on rock that helped to incite this string of events to begin with.
This book makes me restless. I want to share, to compare notes and - truth be told - scramble to find others just like it. Not since The Feast of Love by Charles Baxter (the book, not the movie) have I been moved to this end, and it's driving me crazy not to have a rooftop right now.
The story is compelling and beautifully written. Its ending left me wanting more, and I'm really looking forward to the next book. Highly recommended!
November 6, 2013
I don't like giving other authors bad reviews, but rarely have I been so disappointed with a book. The prologue of this book should be struck silly with a hatchet. The entire thing should be trimmed, tightened, and then, just when it seems safe to breathe, someone should come in there with a blowtorch and just burn off the first ten pages. I can't come up with enough adjectives to truly hit on the sense of dismay I felt when I tried to get past this book's bulging, puffed-up, phony, silly, boring absurdity.
Pink Floyd, Wizard of Oz? World domination . . . pot, acid. Oh whatever. Really. I kept saying to myself, "Maybe I'm just having a bad day; maybe there's really something deep and intense and clever within this mess, this mayhem by manuscript?" Nah. It's really that bad. And you know what else? Drugs just aren't that funny anymore. That's so last century.
I wanted to give this one star because I found it such a trial to endure. But I suspect I'm just being petulant. So two stars it is.
Pink Floyd, Wizard of Oz? World domination . . . pot, acid. Oh whatever. Really. I kept saying to myself, "Maybe I'm just having a bad day; maybe there's really something deep and intense and clever within this mess, this mayhem by manuscript?" Nah. It's really that bad. And you know what else? Drugs just aren't that funny anymore. That's so last century.
I wanted to give this one star because I found it such a trial to endure. But I suspect I'm just being petulant. So two stars it is.
November 6, 2013
Season of the Serpent is pretty much an acid trip. It starts reasonably normal and quite slowly as the author builds up Paul's character. He's just an ordinary guy going off to college, meeting another guy called Eric who turns out to be the Serpent and who tempts him into drugs. The story takes place during the cold war and details Paul's transformation from naive freshman to someone with a vastly different view of the universe. The marijuana expands his perception and awakens latent abilities nurtured by forgotten extra-terrestrial visitations throughout his life. These otherworld beings have plans for him.
The story is written from the point of view of an omniscient narrator, and between the chapters of Paul's exploits the narrator explains the truth about flying saucers, the politics behind the cold war and outlays a vision of a multi-universe. These sections use expositional prose and though they are interesting if you're interested in the subject matter, if you aren't, they probably feel somewhat laborious and longwinded.
As the story progresses, we come to realise that in Paul's world - supposedly our own - there are far deeper layers of existence than what we perceive. About half way through, the setting flips and Paul finds himself in a decadent realm of extra-terrestrials where he discovers that the earth is merely a simulation, a kind of game for the alien/gods. They are engaged in their own war, one that mirrors the two sides of the Cold War, and ultimately the battle between order and chaos.
The metaphysics were thought-provoking and, when Paul travels into mental worlds, visually interesting, especially at the end. The vision is of a hierarchical multiverse where a nuclear explosion on earth would also irreparably damage the other less physical realms, so everyone has a vested interest in stopping the bomb. Synchronicity is a reoccurring theme and the story links events in the extraterrestrial realm to events in the history of the time in our world.
There's a lot of interesting ideas in this book, including one way of viewing the Christian story of Adam and Eve and the tree of knowledge, as well as some parallels with Alice in Wonderland. Even if you can't quite follow the details you get a sense of a reality much vaster and more complex than we presently perceive, and as in all good metaphysical fiction, the ideas are integral to the story's structure.
The characterisation was adequate, but I would have liked to have seen a bit more strength in Paul's character and a clearer sense of the Serpent's - though it is probably appropriate that he remained somewhat slippery.
I felt that the long prologue was unnecessary, and quite likely off-putting for some due to it's apparent lack of point and less than engaging writing. I think it would have been better as an appendix, a kind of optional extra.
Though it has some lovely phrases and the author clearly has great potential, the prose would be much more engaging had the author shown the story rather than told it. As it is, much of the first half lacks immediacy so it doesn't draw the reader in as it should. In general, the ideas were well expressed--mind you, I am used to such concepts--but I feel the plot became somewhat confused and a little repetitive after Paul arrived in the extraterrestrial realm and before his 'testing'. I suspect that this is largely because I found the strange names hard to remember and differentiate. The end is unexpected. It leaves me wanting to read the next installment. I am interested to see where the author could go from there.
I recommend it for old hippies interested in physics or metaphysics, particularly those pertaining to the nature of the universe. I particularly liked this description of the physical universe: "a perpetual unfolding, multidimensional manifestation of living consciousness."
I give it 4 stars for the purpose of general readership, but I can't recommend it for inclusion in the Awesome Indies list due to the book primarily telling the story rather than showing it, at least in the first half of the book.
AIA Reviewers
The story is written from the point of view of an omniscient narrator, and between the chapters of Paul's exploits the narrator explains the truth about flying saucers, the politics behind the cold war and outlays a vision of a multi-universe. These sections use expositional prose and though they are interesting if you're interested in the subject matter, if you aren't, they probably feel somewhat laborious and longwinded.
As the story progresses, we come to realise that in Paul's world - supposedly our own - there are far deeper layers of existence than what we perceive. About half way through, the setting flips and Paul finds himself in a decadent realm of extra-terrestrials where he discovers that the earth is merely a simulation, a kind of game for the alien/gods. They are engaged in their own war, one that mirrors the two sides of the Cold War, and ultimately the battle between order and chaos.
The metaphysics were thought-provoking and, when Paul travels into mental worlds, visually interesting, especially at the end. The vision is of a hierarchical multiverse where a nuclear explosion on earth would also irreparably damage the other less physical realms, so everyone has a vested interest in stopping the bomb. Synchronicity is a reoccurring theme and the story links events in the extraterrestrial realm to events in the history of the time in our world.
There's a lot of interesting ideas in this book, including one way of viewing the Christian story of Adam and Eve and the tree of knowledge, as well as some parallels with Alice in Wonderland. Even if you can't quite follow the details you get a sense of a reality much vaster and more complex than we presently perceive, and as in all good metaphysical fiction, the ideas are integral to the story's structure.
The characterisation was adequate, but I would have liked to have seen a bit more strength in Paul's character and a clearer sense of the Serpent's - though it is probably appropriate that he remained somewhat slippery.
I felt that the long prologue was unnecessary, and quite likely off-putting for some due to it's apparent lack of point and less than engaging writing. I think it would have been better as an appendix, a kind of optional extra.
Though it has some lovely phrases and the author clearly has great potential, the prose would be much more engaging had the author shown the story rather than told it. As it is, much of the first half lacks immediacy so it doesn't draw the reader in as it should. In general, the ideas were well expressed--mind you, I am used to such concepts--but I feel the plot became somewhat confused and a little repetitive after Paul arrived in the extraterrestrial realm and before his 'testing'. I suspect that this is largely because I found the strange names hard to remember and differentiate. The end is unexpected. It leaves me wanting to read the next installment. I am interested to see where the author could go from there.
I recommend it for old hippies interested in physics or metaphysics, particularly those pertaining to the nature of the universe. I particularly liked this description of the physical universe: "a perpetual unfolding, multidimensional manifestation of living consciousness."
I give it 4 stars for the purpose of general readership, but I can't recommend it for inclusion in the Awesome Indies list due to the book primarily telling the story rather than showing it, at least in the first half of the book.
AIA Reviewers
November 13, 2013
This is a great book for baby boomers, old hippies and anyone else who lived through the cold war and smoked dope or dropped acid. Those who have never heard Pink Floyd's dark Side of the Moon will probably not get past the prologue, or at least not without scratching their head and wondering what it's all about. If the prose had been a little more actively written, it would hold those without this back ground, but as it is, if the subject matter doesn't hold you, the writing probably won't. The prose isn't bad though, I wouldn't give it 4 stars if it was. In fact, the author has some lovely turns of phrase.
I really enjoyed the metaphysics in this, the vision was vast, absurd and thought-provoking. One reviewer scoffs at exactly what I loved about it. Pink Floyd and The Wizard of Oz; yes, it's absurd - isn't that wonderful? - but there's meaning in the nonsense for those who can see the meaning - synchronicity is the point. If you were part of the philosophizing youth of the sixties and seventies, then this is for you. If you weren't, this may go completely over your head.
I really enjoyed the metaphysics in this, the vision was vast, absurd and thought-provoking. One reviewer scoffs at exactly what I loved about it. Pink Floyd and The Wizard of Oz; yes, it's absurd - isn't that wonderful? - but there's meaning in the nonsense for those who can see the meaning - synchronicity is the point. If you were part of the philosophizing youth of the sixties and seventies, then this is for you. If you weren't, this may go completely over your head.
July 27, 2014
Absolutely mindbogglingly brilliant ! I had to review this as I could not believe anyone can give it less than 5 stars .It is worth five just for the authors imagination and ability to put over deep spiritual concepts in a novel.At one point he has synchronised several dimensions with a nexus point playing out in real time on the earth and featuring actual historical events Wow! Only a few could even conceive this let alone execute into a sharp , witty and exciting novel packed with adventure . David Nova takes the Matrix concept to the next level and if you enjoyed that film ( the first one anyway) You will love this . My only explanation for the poor reviews is that they simply don't understand it ( let's face it there were many who struggled with the gnostic concepts of the matrix ) : to criticise it for style is bit like criticising Van Gogh for his brushwork ! thank you David Nova for breathing life back into the metaphysical novel . I would love to read some more and to know what was happening in the dimensions of Yang'Ash and Yin'Dru during 2001 !
June 5, 2013
Wow!! This book is Matrix/drug induced tale set in real world events during the 1980's.
We follow Paul Venturi as he prepares to go to college hoping to blend in with crowd.
What he gets is a drug induced journey with a "serpent" that will bring him from 'reality' to the real world!
He is, infact, part of an elaborate plan to create the next messiah.
He is brought out of our world into the world beyond.
Director DarWinn is hoping that Paul (who is nicknamed Adam) will brings stop to the cold war...what happens maybe just the exact opposite....
The author has done an amazing job in creating this idea/plot - great characters and descriptions. The twists and turns this book takes you will blow your mind of all you thought maybe real in the world!
I'm certainly going to be returning for the next installment!!
We follow Paul Venturi as he prepares to go to college hoping to blend in with crowd.
What he gets is a drug induced journey with a "serpent" that will bring him from 'reality' to the real world!
He is, infact, part of an elaborate plan to create the next messiah.
He is brought out of our world into the world beyond.
Director DarWinn is hoping that Paul (who is nicknamed Adam) will brings stop to the cold war...what happens maybe just the exact opposite....
The author has done an amazing job in creating this idea/plot - great characters and descriptions. The twists and turns this book takes you will blow your mind of all you thought maybe real in the world!
I'm certainly going to be returning for the next installment!!
August 1, 2020
This is a book for those of us who have lived through turbulent times and are living them right now. This book focuses on Paul Venturi, who in 1983 was 18 years old and had finished his first year in college learning about the joys of marijuana. He makes new "friends" during that year when he lives on campus away from any parental guidance. One of those he meets is Eric, who is the serpent of the title. The author has immersed himself in the life and times of this era. The weaving of the music of "The Wall" with "The Wizard of Oz" and campus life is masterful. Later on in the book, Eric morphs into A'Meric and we meet Dar'Winn as a supreme ruler of another plane of existence. There is a lot in this book, and I suggest you don't try to read it while indulging in marijuana. You can get confused without that influence.
January 28, 2020
Listed on the previous Awesome Indies Website in the "Rough Cuts" Category.
This was a special page for fiction in the rough and included uncut diamonds found during the assessment process. These books did not receive "Awesome Indies Approval" but were considered to have a spark of brilliance, perhaps in their ideas, world-building, or some new approach. The issues that kept them from the "Approved" list are things that most readers would not notice as the good qualities overshadow any inadequacies. Awesome Indies stated: (quote) "Rough Cuts are here because the author cannot afford the cost of the line editor needed to tidy it up, and we don’t want genius to be missed because the author hasn’t a huge budget."
This was a special page for fiction in the rough and included uncut diamonds found during the assessment process. These books did not receive "Awesome Indies Approval" but were considered to have a spark of brilliance, perhaps in their ideas, world-building, or some new approach. The issues that kept them from the "Approved" list are things that most readers would not notice as the good qualities overshadow any inadequacies. Awesome Indies stated: (quote) "Rough Cuts are here because the author cannot afford the cost of the line editor needed to tidy it up, and we don’t want genius to be missed because the author hasn’t a huge budget."
August 10, 2014
Much like football, this book is a game of two halves - the first fairly pedestrian and banal, the second (in complete contrast) a whirlwind of metaphysical theory. Whilst I trundled through the first part okay, I found the second to be a little to conceptually conflicted for easy reading. Without giving too much about the plot away, there's a hell of a lot of time-based references for actions occurring in a dimension beyond the constraints of time. Just weird. Having said that, there's only one more book in the series, so I'll give that a go before pronouncing final verdict.
September 6, 2013
Rating: 8.0/10.0
Review: I really like how the author mixed up an ancient story, an old story, and a new story. The way the mesh together is quite good. The ancient "Garden of Eden" story has a whole new updated spin on it. The book made me think ahead, or at least try, to figure out what was going to happen next, but I was always surprised. I'd recommend this book to any Sci-Fi fan for sure. P.S. I absolutely love the cover!
Reviewed by IABookReviews.com
Review: I really like how the author mixed up an ancient story, an old story, and a new story. The way the mesh together is quite good. The ancient "Garden of Eden" story has a whole new updated spin on it. The book made me think ahead, or at least try, to figure out what was going to happen next, but I was always surprised. I'd recommend this book to any Sci-Fi fan for sure. P.S. I absolutely love the cover!
Reviewed by IABookReviews.com
March 31, 2013
This book is an eye opener for me. I cannot say that it is a path to a true reality, but it is a path that could explain a reality. I enjoyed the read and highly recommend it for anyone who is not sure just what is going on with the world (both past and present.)
June 11, 2013
Entertaining! A fun summer read with a lot of 70s and 80s music. Looking forward to Book 2.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews